The Risus Companion
64
0
0
Full text
(2) . $QDWRP\RID&OLFKÅ &RUH&OLFKÅV . $EVHQFH6SHDNV/RXGHU7KDQ:RUGV 0UV%XWWHUEUHDG $&RUH&OLFKÅ 7KH&KDULVPDWLF $&RUH&OLFKÅ 7KH$WKOHWH . 7KH0HJDYHUVDO2PQLJURRY\ %DFNJURXQG0DFKLQH 7KH0HJDYHUVDO2PQLJURRY\ %DFNJURXQG0DFKLQH G
(3) . 7KH0DFKLQHLQ$FWLRQ 6KHHWK-RQDV 7KH5LVXV5RVHWWD6WRQH" 7KH7HQHWVRI5LVXV'LVWLOOHG . &RS\ULJKW E\6-RKQ5RVV5LVXV 7KH $Q\WKLQJ53*7KH/LWWOH&DUWRRQ%DVWDUGV &XPEHUODQG*DPHV 'LYHUVLRQV &XPEHUODQG)LUH(DWHUV7KH,QWHUQDWLRQDO 2UGHURI5LVXV DQGDOOUHODWHGLPDJHVDQG ORJRVDUHWUDGHPDUNVRI6-RKQ5RVV. )LQLVKLQJ7RXFKHV 7KH/&%V 2EMHFWV$UH/HVV3RVVLEOH7KDQ7KH\$SSHDU. 0$67(5,1* 7+( *$0( 58/(6. . 7KH8QKRO\7ULQLW\ $&RUH&OLFKÅ 7KH&RPPXQLFDWRU . $QG,I7KDW'RHVQoW:RUNe 1XGHPRGHOVSURYLGHGE\%DUH%UDQFKHV $XVWLQoVILQHVWpDUWqVWLFNILJXUHPRGHOLQJDJHQF\. 7KHp:KDW7KH+HFN.LQGRI &RQIOLFW,V7KLV"q)ORZFKDUW . &RQWLQXHG1H[W3DJH.
(4) &KDUDFWHU&UHDWLRQ. &KDUDFWHU&UHDWLRQ. $Q\RQH&DQ7U\$Q\WKLQJ . 5DQGRP5LVXV7ULYLD 7KH%LJ/LVW G
(5) 'LUW\/LWWOH*DPH0DVWHU . $&RUH&OLFKÅ 7KH'HWHFWLYH . 7DUJHW1XPEHUVDQG WKH3URIHVVLRQDO+HUR $&RUH&OLFKÅ 7KH'ULYHU . 7DUJHW1XPEHUVDQG WKH6LQJOH6KRZRII . 025( $'9$1&(' 237,216. . /XFN\6KRWV 4XHVWLQJ'LFH &XQR6DON6SDFH5RJXH. <RXoOO*R%OLQG'RLQJ7KDW . 6LGHNLFNVDQG6KLHOG0DWHV 6WULS5LVXV . 0RUH5HDVRQVWR5ROO'LFH . (\HRIWKH7LJHU 5HVFDOHG5LVXV . +DJJOLQJ 'HJUHHVRI6XFFHVVDQG6HFUHW71V 6XFFHVVe2U68&&(66" ,oYH*RW'LFHWKDW-LQJOH-DQJOH-LQJOH 7KH)XQN\$[LV. 6WDWVIRU6WXII $5LVXV%HVWLDU\" 'ROSKLQ . 7RROVRIWKH7UDGH 0UV%XWWHUEUHDGoV%DQDQD3XPSNLQ/RDYHV . 7KH7DRRIWKH*UXQW6TXDG . 2QFH0RUH,QWRWKH%UHDFK 9LFWRU\DQG,QMXU\ $&RUH&OLFKÅ 7KH0HFKDQLF $&RUH&OLFKÅ 7KH1DWXUH%R\ . 2UGHU2XWRI&KDRV +HDOLQJ 1RQ&RPEDW,QMXU\ $&RUH&OLFKÅ 7KH0HGLF . 'RXEO\,QDSSURSULDWH" 7KH5DQGRP%DG7KLQJ7KDW-XVW +DSSHQHG7R0\&KDUDFWHU7DEOH G
(6) . 8]LV%RPEVDQG3XEOLF6SHDNLQJ $&RUH&OLFKÅ 7KH6FKRODU. $'9(1785( '(6,*1. . 5RFN\5RDGV 7KH5RXWLQH . $&RUH&OLFKÅ 7KH:DUULRU . 7DUJHW1XPEHUV)ROORZ7KLV6FDOH,QVWHDG 1R7DUJHW1XPEHUV)ROORZ7KLV6FDOH . %R[FDUV %UHDNWKURXJKV 'HDGO\&RPEDW $&RUH&OLFKÅ 7KH:L]DUG. 6ZLQJ&RPEDW /DVW0DQ6WDQGLQJ . +2: 72 '5$: 67,&. ),*85(6 7+( 5,686 :$< /HVVRQ2QH 7RROV /HVVRQ7ZR 5HDOLVWLF)RUP /HVVRQ7KUHH )DFHDQG+HDG /HVVRQ)RXU 7KH)LJXUH /HVVRQ)LYH &RVWXPHV *HDU /HVVRQ6L[ 3XWWLQJLW$OO7RJHWKHU . 62&,$/ 678',(6. 7KHUHoV1R:URQJ:D\WR3OD\ :KHQ,Q'RXEW/LPLWWKH/DWLQDWHV . &KDUWHURI7KH,QWHUQDWLRQDO 2UGHURI5LVXV 3UHDFKLQJWKH5LVXV*RVSHO ,WoV7LQ\DQG6LPSOH ,WKDVD/DWLQ1DPH ,WoV*RRI\DQG,UUHYHUHQW ,WoV.LQGRI2OG6FKRRO ,WoV)UHH ,WoV:HLUG %XWe%XWe%XWe 7DNH8SWKH*DXQWOHW . ,7KH2UGHU ,,7KH7ULS ,,,7KH'HOLYHU\ ,9*R%DFNWR:RUN $&RUH&OLFKÅ 7KH6QHDN . &RPSOLFDWLRQV ,7KH2UGHU ,,7KH7ULS ,,,7KH'HOLYHU\ ,9*R%DFNWR:RUN . . +DOIZD\WR3HUIHFW 7KH&RORU3XUSOH $5LVXV/H[LFRQ. 6HDVRQ%DNHDQG6HUYH . 5DQGRP$GYHQWXUH*HQHUDWRUV . 70. 7KH$GYHQWXUH0DWUL[ GDWQHHG
(7) )DQWDV\/RFDOHV7DEOH 7HQV2QHVG
(8) . 'LUW\/LWWOH7KULOOV . &UHDWLYLW\8QERXQG 3DJH.
(9) INTRODUCTION ABOUT THE AUTHOR You give him credit for too much cleverness. My impression was that he’s just another blundering American. – Major Strasser. 9HUVLRQ S. John Ross has been a Game Master since 1984 and game writer since 1990. His works include the Points in Space series, Risus: The Anything RPG, the Poké thulhu Adventure Game, GURPS Russia, GURPS Warehouse 23, Weirder Tales: A Space Opera, Feast of Blades (the In Nomine GM’s Kit), Among the Clans: The Andorians, Uresia: Grave of Heaven, the Star Trek RPG Narrator’s Toolkit, and the creation of Sparks paper miniatures. As a contributor, his work has appeared in other supplements for the lines mentioned above, as well as the Flying Buffalo’s CityBook series, White Wolf’s Mage: The Ascension line, and numerous periodicals, including Dragon, White Wolf, Star Wars Gamer, Autoduel Quarterly, and Pyramid (where he served a brief stint as Editor). His homepage, The Blue Room, includes the Big List of RPG Plots, one of the most linked-to gaming tools on the World Wide Web. Outside of gaming, he’s a literacy volunteer, cook, and loving husband to his wife, Sandra.. :KHQDWKLQJLVIXQQ\VHDUFKLWFDUHIXOO\IRUD KLGGHQWUXWK. <. s*HRUJH%HUQDUG6KDZ. RXU(QJOLVKWHDFKHUsEOHVVKHUKHDUWsZDUQHG\RX DJDLQVWXVLQJFOLFKÅV6KHPHDQWZHOOEXW,oPKHUH WRSUHDFKWKHJRVSHORIFOLFKÅDQGHYHU\WKLQJWKDW JRHVZLWKLWLQZKDWDPRXQWVWRDSDJHXVHUoVPDQXDO IRUDVL[SDJHUROHSOD\LQJJDPH +HUH\RXoOOILQGVWUDWHJLHVIRUFKDUDFWHUFUHDWLRQWHFK QLTXHVRIDGYHQWXUHGHVLJQDQGWLSVIRUWKLQJVOLNHPRUH HIIHFWLYH*0LQJJHWWLQJWKHPRVWIURPWKHJDPHDQG IRUFHOHEUDWLQJWKHRIIEHDWDQGIDUFLFDO,QWKHVHSDJHV ZHoOOH[SORUHJHQUHVFOLFKÅVDQGJDPHPHFKDQLFV DORQJ ZLWKELJZREEO\GRVHVRIWKHJDPHoVRZQSKLORVRSKLHV 7RGLVVHFW5LVXV LVLQDVHQVHWRGLVVHFWDGYHQWXUHJDP LQJLQGLVWLOOHGIRUPVRWKLVWKLQJPD\HYHQEHKDQG\ RQ VRPHOHYHO2QWKHRWKHUKDQG,PD\EHNLGGLQJ,PDNH QRSURPLVHV $V\RXUHDGNHHSDVRQJLQ\RXUKHDUWDQGWKLVVDFUHG PDQWUDLQ\RXUWKRXJKWV (YHU\WKLQJLVHDV\HYHU\WKLQJLV FRYHUHGDQGWKHUHoVQRZURQJZD\WRSOD\ 7KLVLVDYHU\GLIIHUHQW5LVXV&RPSDQLRQ WKDQ,ZRXOG KDYHZULWWHQIRXURUILYH\HDUVDJRDQG,PHDQWKDWLQWKH EHVWSRVVLEOHZD\7KDQNVWRWKHUHJXODUVRQWKH5LVXV 0DLOLQJ/LVWWKH&RPSDQLRQ UHIOHFWVDEURDGHUDSSURDFK WRWKHJDPH7KDQNVWRWKHJDPHUVZKRoYHSOD\HG5LVXV ZLWKPHWKH&RPSDQLRQ UHIOHFWVPRUHVW\OHVDQGULFKHU SHUVRQDOH[SHULHQFHV$QGWKDQNVWRWKHSURGGLQJRI5LVXV IDQVDFURVVWKHJOREH,ILQDOO\JRWWKHGDUQHGWKLQJZULW WHQ7KDQNVLQGHHGsDQGORWVRILW. -. $XVWLQ7H[DV 'HFHPEHU. 3DJH.
(10) CHARACTER CREATION WHUoVYHUVDWLOLW\:KRZDQWVDFKDUDFWHUWKDWFDQ RQO\GRIRXUWKLQJV ULJKW". ,DPQRWDQDGYHQWXUHUE\FKRLFHEXWE\IDWH. 5. s9LQFHQWYDQ*RJK. LVXV FKDUDFWHUFUHDWLRQLVVLPSOHEXWLWFDQ LQWLPLGDWHMXVWOLNHDQ\RWKHU,oYHVHHQ SOD\HUVVWDUHDWWKHEODQNSDSHUKRUULILHG E\WKHSURVSHFWRIMXVWQDPLQJ WKHLUFKDUDFWHU PXFKOHVVVHOHFWLQJWKHSHUIHFWEDODQFHRIFOLFKÅV 7KLVFKDSWHUH[SORUHVWKHLQVDQGRXWV. 10 DICE TO SPEND <RXVD\WRPH\RXZDQWWRJRVKRSSLQJ \RXZDQW WREX\FORWKHVEXW\RXGRQoWNQRZZKDWNLQG <RXOHDYHWKDWKDQJLQJLQWKH DLUOLNH,oPJRLQJWRILOOLQ WKHEODQN7KDWWRPHLV OLNHDVNLQJPHZKR\RX DUHDQG,GRQoWNQRZZKR \RXDUH,GRQoWZDQW WR NQRZ,WoVWDNHQPHP\ ZKROHOLIHWRILQGRXWZKR, DPDQG,DPWLUHG QRZ s0DUVKDOO 7KHUHDUHWZRUHFRPPHQGDWLRQV ,PDNHWRQHZELHVEDIIOHGE\ WKHSURFHVVRIVSHQGLQJWKH VWDQGDUGGLHVSUHDGIRU FKDUDFWHUFUHDWLRQ7KH ILUVW KDYHDWOHDVWRQH FOLFKÅ UDWHGDW
(11) RUEHWWHU7KH VHFRQG FKRRVHHLWKHUWKUHH RUIRXU FOLFKÅVWRWDO 7KHILUVWRQHLVDQHDV\ VHOO HYHU\ERG\OLNHVWREH JRRGDWVRPHWKLQJDQGWKUHH GLFHLVJRRG 7KHVHFRQGRQHFDQWDNHDPRPHQWRIH[SODQD WLRQEHFDXVHVRPHJDPHUVsXVHGWRWKHVNLOOVDQG SHUNVDQGWUDLWVDQGDGYDQWDJHVDQGSRZHUVRI PRUHWUDGLWLRQDOJDPHVsWKLQN,oPWU\LQJWRVQRZ WKHPLQWROLPLWLQJ HYHQFULSSOLQJ
(12) WKHLUFKDUDF. ,WFDQWDNHDPRPHQWRIDGMXVWPHQWWRUHDOL]H WKDWDVLQJOHFOLFKÅLVDELJZDOORSLQJVDFNRIFKDUDF WHUDQGWKDWVRPHRQHZLWKIRXURIWKHPFDQEH H[WUDRUGLQDULO\HYHQULGLFXORXVO\ZHOOURXQGHG :LWKILYHFOLFKÅVDFKDUDFWHUEHJLQVWRORRN VFKL]RLG ZLWKVL[ KHoVMXVWSODLQVORSS\ 5LVXV UHPLQGVWKHUHDGHUWKDWWKHFKDUDFWHUFODVVHV RI\HROGHQGD\HVZHUHFOLFKÅVEXWWKHUHYHUVHLV HTXDOO\WUXH$FOLFKÅLVDFKDUDFWHUFODVVQRWKLQJ PRUHRUOHVV7KHRQO\IXQFWLRQDOGLIIHUHQFHV EHWZHHQWKH5LVXV DSSURDFKWRFKDU DFWHUFODVVHVDQGWKHPRUHWUDGL WLRQDODSSURDFKDUH $
(13) FUHDWLQJ QHZFODVVHVLVVRIDVWWKDWPRVW SOD\HUVFKRRVHWRGRVR %
(14) \RXUpOHYHOqSURYLGHV\RXU LQJDPHQXPEHUVGLUHFWO\ LQVWHDGRILQGLUHFWO\DQG &
(15) VNLOOHGKDLUGUHVVHUV DUHGHDGO\LQFRPEDW 2QFHDQHZSOD\HUXQGHU VWDQGVWKDWWKHUHoVQRWKLQJ VWRSSLQJKLPIURPILQDOO\SOD\ LQJWKDW6WDUSLORW'UXLG6DPXUDL %DUGWKDWPRUHVHQVLEOHJDPHVIRU ELGLWZLOOFOLFNWKDW IRXUFOLFKÅVLVSOHQW\ )RUP\RZQFKDUDF WHUV,XVXDOO\SUHIHU ZKDW,FDOOWKHFODVVLF FRXQWGRZQsIRXU FOLFKÅVUDWHGDW GLFHGLFHGLFH DQGGLHHDFK7KDW JLYHVPHVRPHWKLQJ,oP H[FHOOHQW DWVRPHWKLQJ,oPJRRG DWVRPH WKLQJ,GRQoWVXFN DWDQGVRPHWKLQJ,GRVXFN DWIRUODWHULPSURYHPHQWDQGWKRVHWLPHVZKHQ IDLOLQJLVFRROHURUIXQQLHU*UROIQDU9DLQVVRQ 5LVXVSDJH
(16) LVDpFODVVLFFRXQWGRZQqFKDUDFWHU. 3DJH.
(17) 6TXLUUHOV$UH3ORWWLQJ9HQJHDQFH. &KDUDFWHU&UHDWLRQ <RXDEVROXWHO\FDQ GRLWDOOLI\RXIHHOOLNHLW 0XOWLIDFHWHGKHURHVDUHFRPPRQVWRFNILJXUHV$ FOLFKÅOLNH6ZDVKEXFNOHUIRUH[DPSOHLQFOXGHV QHDUO\KDOIWKHOLVW DSURSHUVZDVKEXFNOHULV DFWLYHO\DWKOHWLFGHYLOLVKO\FKDULVPDWLFNQRZVKLV FRXUWO\PDQQHUVIHQFHVDQGEUDZOVZHOODQGFDQ SUREDEO\PDQDJHVRPHGHFHQWKRUVHPDQVKLSDQG DOLWWOHVQHDNLQJWRR+HoOOIDFHVWLIIHUWKDQLGHDO 7DUJHW1XPEHUVLQVRPH RIWKRVHDUHDV KHZRQoW EHDVJRRGDWVQHDNLQJDVD%XUJODU1LQMDRU 3HHSLQJ7RPZLWKWKHVDPHQXPEHURIGLFH
(18) EXW KHoOOKDQGOHKLPVHOILPSUHVVLYHO\LQWKHIDFHRI PDQ\GDQJHUV+LVpURJXLVKURPDQWLFKHURqFRXQ WHUSDUWVLQRWKHUVJHQUHVDUHVLPLODUO\EURDG. THE DOZEN ENDEAVORS 0\IDWKHUZDVDTXLWWHU P\JUDQGIDWKHUZDVD TXLWWHU ,ZDVUDLVHGWRJLYHXS,WoVRQHRIWKH IHZWKLQJV,GRZHOO s*HRUJH&RVWDQ]D 7KHUHDUHZKHQLWFRPHVGRZQWRLWDGR]HQ DUHDVRIHQGHDYRULQDQ\5LVXV DGYHQWXUH r $WKOHWLFV UXQQLQJMXPSLQJFOLPELQJVZLP PLQJVKRYLQJOLIWLQJ
(19) r 3HUVXDGLQJ O\LQJVHGXFLQJLQVSLULQJ HQWKUDOOLQJFDOPLQJOHDGLQJ
(20) r &RPPXQLFDWLRQ 3URWRFRO ODQJXDJHVMDUJRQ FRXUWO\PDQQHUVFXOWXUDOTXLUNV
(21). FROM QUALITY TO CLICHÉ $WVL[WHHQ,ZDVVWXSLGFRQIXVHGLQVHFXUHDQG LQGHFLVLYH$WWZHQW\ILYH,ZDVZLVHVHOIFRQIL GHQWSUHSRVVHVVLQJDQGDVVHUWLYH$WIRUW\ILYH, DPVWXSLGFRQIXVHGLQVHFXUHDQGLQGHFLVLYH. r 'HWHFWLRQ QRWLFLQJUHFRJQL]LQJDQGXQGHU VWDQGLQJFOXHV
(22) r 'ULYLQJ5LGLQJ 3LORWLQJ FKDVLQJHOXGLQJ KDQGOLQJWULFN\FRQGLWLRQV
(23). s-XOHV)HLIIHU. r *DGJHWHHULQJ UHSDLULQJLPSURYLQJGLVDEOLQJ DQGRWKHUZLVHH[SORLWLQJWHFKQRORJ\
(24). 6RPHWLPHVWKHLQVSLUDWLRQIRUDFKDUDFWHUDUULYHV LQIUDJPHQWV<RXNQRZ\RXZDQWWRSOD\VRPH RQHZHDOWK\IRUH[DPSOHRUVRPHRQHSK\VLFDOO\ VWURQJRUVRPHRQHZLWW\eEXW\RXoUHQRWVXUH KRZWREHVWH[SUHVVLWLQ\RXUFOLFKÅVp:HDOWK\q DQGpVWURQJqDQGpZLWW\qDUHWRRRQHGLPHQVLRQDO WREHFOLFKÅVRQWKHLURZQ WKH\oUHMXVWRUGLQDU\ DGMHFWLYHVLVRODWHGTXDOLWLHV. r 7KH0HGLFDO$UWV KHDOLQJZKHQWKHFDQVRI ZKRRSDVVUXQGU\
(25) r :LOGHUQHVV0DVWHU\ VXUYLYDOWUDFNLQJXVLQJ SODQWVDQGWDPLQJEHDVWV
(26) r 6FKRODUVKLS NQRZLQJWKLQJVIROORZLQJ WULFN\FRQYHUVDWLRQV
(27) r ,QWUXVLRQ VS\LQJVWHDOLQJKDFNLQJKLGLQJVOLS SLQJE\XQQRWLFHG
(28) r &RPEDW EHDWLQJWKHFUDSRXWRISHRSOHEORZ LQJVWXIIXS
(29) r 0DJLF ZLHOGLQJVXSHUQDWXUDOSRZHUVIRUIXQ DQGSURILW
(30) 0RVWFOLFKÅVDUHUHDOO\MXVWVKRUWKDQGIRUp,FDQ ZLWKDSDUWLFXODUVW\OHKDQGOHWKLV HQGHDYRUZHOO DQGWKDW HQGHDYRUDIWHUDIDVKLRQq7KHGR]HQ HQGHDYRUVDUHDFKDUDFWHUFUHDWLRQFKHFNOLVWe,I WKHUHoVVRPHWKLQJ\RXZDQW\RXUFKDUDFWHUWREH FDSDEOHRIZULWHWKHQHFHVVDU\LPSOLFDWLRQVLQWR \RXUFOLFKÅV. ,I\RXVHHWKHTXDOLW\DVDVHFRQGDU\IHDWXUHMXVW OHWLWULGHWKHFRDWWDLORIDPRUHLPSRUWDQWFOLFKÅ ,I\RXDOUHDG\NQRZ\RXoUHSOD\LQJDQ8QGHUWDNHU
(31) PDNLQJKLPD:LVHFUDFNLQJ8QGHUWDNHU
(32) LV DVQDS6HHWKH$QDWRP\RID&OLFKÅVHFWLRQ SDJH
(33) IRUPRUHIXQDORQJWKRVH OLQHV%XWLI\RXoUH SODJXHGZLWKDQXQFU\VWDOOL]HGLPDJHRIDFHQWUDO FKDUDFWHULVWLF\RXQHHGWRJLYHLWDFOLFKÅDOOLWV RZQ7KHVROXWLRQUHVWVRQWKHPLJKW\VKRXOGHUV RIDVLQJOHTXHVWLRQ :KRLQWKHJDPHoVVHWWLQJ SRVVHVVHVsRUEHWWHUVWLOOHPERGLHVsWKLVTXDOLW\" 7KHUHDUHFOLFKÅVDERXWPRQH\HGSHRSOHWKDWVSDQ WKHDJHV 0LOOLRQDLUH3OD\ER\6SRLOHG'HEXWDQWH (FFHQWULF3DWURQRIWKH$UWV3RZHU0DG5DLO %DURQ*UXII2LOPDQ8SSHU&ODVV7ZLW-DGHG +HLUHVV(PSHURURIWKH.QRZQ*DOD[\)DW. 3DJH.
(34) &KDUDFWHU&UHDWLRQ. &KDUDFWHU&UHDWLRQ WHDFKWKHPWRUHVSHFW\RXUVDQGDOHGWUHDG7KLV PHDQV\RXFDQFUHDWHDFKDUDFWHUGHVLJQHGIRU FRPEDWHQGXUDQFH E\WDNLQJPXOWLSOHFOLFKÅV DSSURSULDWH RUHTXDOO\LQDSSURSULDWH
(35) IRUD JLYHQVW\OHRIFRPEDW0RVWPXQFKNLQVSUHIHU WRIRFXVRQWKHSK\VLFDO RIFRXUVHJRGEOHVV WKHLUOLWHUDOOLWWOHKHDUWV%XWLI\RXU*0LVWUXO\ ULGLQJWKH=HQRI5LVXV\RXFDQJHWMXVWDV PXFKPLOHDJHE\SOD\LQJVRPHRQHZKRoVERWK D&XQQLQJ'HIHQVH$WWRUQH\
(36) DQGD 3DVVLRQDWH5DEEOH5RXVHU
(37) eRUVRPHRQH ZKRoVERWKD0DUWKD6WHZDUW
(38) DQGD6SDZQ RI6DWDQ
(39) HWF. 0HUFKDQW5XWKOHVV/RDQ6KDUNDQG%HYHUO\ +LOOELOO\WRUDWWOHRIIMXVWDIHZ:DQWWREH VWURQJ"<RXFDQEHD6ZHDW\%DUEDULDQ:DUULRUD )DUP%R\:KR$WH+LV2DWPHDO(YHU\'D\D 9DLQ%RG\EXLOGHUD&LUFXV6WURQJPDQD*ULQQLQJ /XPEHUMDFND%LJKHDUWHG3DORRNDRUD%HHWOH %URZHG'RFNZRUNHU:LWW\FOLFKÅVLQFOXGHVXFK JHPVDV&RQILGHQFH7ULFNVWHU/DWLQ/RYHU 1HXURWLF:ULWHU&RPHGLDQ6XSHUVS\-RQJOHXU &RXUW-HVWHUDQG:LVHDVV&DE'ULYHU:DQWWREH ZLWW\DQG ULFK"7U\p6SDUNOLQJ6RFLDOLWHqRQIRU VL]H:DQWWREHZHDOWK\DQG ILWWREUDZO"3OD\D :DU0RQJHULQJ'XNH $ORQJWKHZD\HQKDQFHWKHURRWTXHVWLRQZLWK VRPHZRUWK\EUDQFKHV r :KHUHGRHVWKHTXDOLW\ WKHPRQH\WKH VWUHQJWKWKHZLW
(40) FRPHIURP" r :KDWGRHV\RXUFKDUDFWHUPRVWHQMR\GRLQJ ZLWKLW" r +RZGRHVKHIHHODERXWWKHTXDOLW\" r +RZGRHVKHIHHODERXWWKRVHZKRODFNLW" r :KDWZRXOGKHWUDGHLWIRULIKHFRXOG" <RXFDQLPSO\DQ\RIWKHVHWKLQJVLQDJRRGFOLFKÅ DQGMXVWWKHSURFHVVRIWKLQNLQJDERXWLWFDQJLYH \RXDQLURQJULSRQ\RXUFKDUDFWHUoVSHUVRQD. NAUGHTY TRICKS 7KHGLVFODLPHUVPDNHPHZDQWWRGRLWPRUH. r ,QDSSURSULDWHFOLFKÅVSURYLGHWKHVHFRQGNLQGRI GHOLEHUDWHUXOHVpDEXVHq,HQMR\5LVXV FRPEDWs WUDGLWLRQDORURWKHUZLVHsHQFRXUDJHVXQXVXDO WDFWLFVIURPSHRSOHZKRKDYHQREXVLQHVVLQWKH EDWWOH%ULQJLQJDNQLIHWRDJXQILJKWPD\EH FODVVLFVWXSLGLW\EXWEULQJLQJDERWWOHRIWHTXLOD DEOHQGHUDQGDQLFHFKHVWFDQEHWDFWLFVRQD OHYHORQO\$OH[DQGHUKLPVHOIPLJKWWUXO\DSSUH FLDWH,WoVIXQGDPHQWDOWR5LVXV WKDWHYHU\ FOLFKÅLVEHDXWLIXO LQLWVRZQZD\
(41) DQGWKDW SURYLGHVDQXQXVXDOGHJUHHRIIUHHGRP ,I\RX ZDQWWRSOD\DFKDUDFWHUZKRoVZLWW\DQGZLVH FUDFNLQJDQGVH[\DQGWKDWoVDOO s\RXDUHQoW SHQDOL]HGLQWKHDFWLRQVFHQHV)XUWKHUPRUH \RXKDYHDQDGYDQWDJH WKDQNVWRWKH ,QDSSURSULDWH&OLFKÅUXOHV7DNLQJWKLVWRWKH ORJLFDOH[WUHPHWKHPRVWpFRPEDWHIIHFWLYHq FKDUDFWHULQ5LVXV PLJKWEHRQHZLWKDVWURQJ FOLFKÅWKDWoVQHYHU DSSURSULDWH. s0LOKRXVH 6RLIDQ\RQHFDQGRLWDOO ZLWKWKUHHRUIRXU FOLFKÅVDQGDQ\FOLFKÅFDQLPSO\WRQVRIFRRO WKLQJVDERXWDQ\VRUWRIFKDUDFWHULVWLFTXDOLW\ VNLOORUWDOHQWeZKDWGRHVWKDWOHDYHWKHQXPEHU FUXQFKHUVWRGR"5HDOPXQFKNLQLVPLQ5LVXV UHTXLUHVIDPLOLDULW\ZLWKWKHWULFNVRIFRPEDW r ,QFRPEDW\RXFDQVZDSRXWDQLQMXUHGFOLFKÅ IRUDKHDOWK\RQH7KDWLVLI\RXoUHSOD\LQJD 0HUFHQDU\
(42) ZKRoVDOVRD%DUEDULDQ
(43) \RX FDQZDGHLQDVD0HUFHQDU\GRVRPHFDUQDJH WKDWZD\DQGWKHQsMXVWZKHQ\RXUEDWWHUHG RSSRQHQWVWKLQNWKH\KDYH\RXRQWKHURSHV \RXFDQJRDOO%DUEDULDQRQWKHLUDVVHVDQG. +<$+5XOH. &RPELQHWKHVHWZRDSSURDFKHVIRUDUHDOFRPEDW SRZHUKRXVH DFKDUDFWHUZLWKPRVWRIKLVGLFHLQ PXOWLSOHFRQVLVWHQWO\LQDSSURSULDWHFOLFKÅVUHDG\WR GLVKRXWpWULSOHGDPDJHqWRDQ\RQHZKRGDUHV FURVVKLP,IWKDWPHDQVpDEXVLQJqWKHUXOHVDQG PDNLQJDFKDUDFWHUZKRoVDOOHQWHUWDLQPHQWDQG QRSUDFWLFDOLW\WKHQZKLSEHDWDQGWLFNOH WKRVH UXOHV7KH\ORYHLW. 3DJH.
(44) &KDUDFWHU&UHDWLRQ. 7KH3DVVZRUGLVp:LEEOHq. THAT LAST #@!% CLICHÉ TABLE (1D100) 01 02 03 04 05 06 07. -. 08 09 10 11 12 13. -. 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24. -. 25 26 27 28 29 30 31. -. Alchemist Armchair General Bartender Basketball Star Battle-Scarred Veteran Berserker Black Market Contraband Broker Blacksmith Brain Surgeon Butcher Cat Burglar Chef Chosen One of the Ancient Prophecy Circus Acrobat Civil Engineer Comedian/Jester Computer Wiz Con Artist Concerned Parent Contortionist Couch Potato Counterculture Icon Cowboy Criminal Informant Building a New Life Cub Reporter Cyborg Killing Machine Dabbler in the Dark Arts Dancer Deposed Dictator Disc Jockey Drug Dealer. 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66. -. Escaped Gladiator Slave Ex-Con Executioner Ex-Mercenary Exotic Dancer Explorer Fortean Investigator Frat Boy/Sorority Chick Friend to the Animals Gadgeteer Gambler Gigolo/Call Girl Groupie Hayseed Hedonist Helpless Victim Hit Man Hobo Homemaker Inveterate Coward Ladies' Man Law School Dropout Looter Mad Scientist Miser Misunderstood Monster Musician Neat Freak Novelist Outdoorsman Peeping Tom Philosopher Pilot Poet Political Activist. THAT LAST #@!% CLICHÉ %\WKHWLPHZHILQLVKZLWKKLPKHZRQoW NQRZZKHWKHUKHoV1XPEHU6L[RUWKH FXEHURRWRILQILQLW\ s1XPEHU7ZR <RXoYHDEVRUEHGWKDWDFOLFKÅLVDELJGHDODQGWKDW WKUHHRUIRXURIWKHPLVSOHQW\<RXoYHDEVRUEHGLW VRZHOO WKDW\RXoYHJRWWZRFOLFKÅVWKDWVD\HYHU\ WKLQJ DERXW\RXUFKDUDFWHUDQG\RXoYHJRWGLFHOHIW RYHU<RXQHHGDWOHDVWRQHPRUH#FOLFKÅWR URXQG\RXUFUHDWLRQRXWDELWsWRJLYHKLPDQ XQH[SHFWHGOLWWOHWZLVW. 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00. -. Porn Star Priest Prophet Prowler Psychic Psychoanalyst Ranch Hand Rebel Sadistic Megalomaniac Sailor Saint Salesman Scholar Science-Fiction Fan Sensitive Artist Serial Killer Slob Smartass Spare-Time Detective Spoiled Dilettante Stage Magician Storyteller Stunt Double Swashbuckler Swinger Trivia Master Undercover Agent Unemployed Actor Vampire Veterinarian Visitor From the Future Volunteer Social Worker Weekend Warrior Werewolf. ,KHDUWLO\UHFRPPHQGWKH7KDW/DVW# &OLFKÅ WDEOH DERYH
(45) 'URSVRPHSHUFHQWLOHGLFH WDNHZKDWHYHUWKHIDWHVGHPDQGDQGWZHDNDV QHFHVVDU\,oYHVHOHFWHGWKHVHFOLFKÅVLQSDUWLFXODU EHFDXVHWKH\oUHDOOHVSHFLDOO\IXQWRKDYHMXVWRQH RUWZRGLFHLQsWKH\oUHDOOLGHDOpRWKHUqFOLFKÅV 0DQ\ZLOOQHHGWREHUHZULWWHQWRVXLWWKHH[DFW JHQUHRI\RXUFDPSDLJQEXW,oYHFDUHIXOO\VHOHFWHG WKHPIRUXQLYHUVDODSSHDOe,I\RXUFDPSDLJQLVD URPDQWLFFRPHG\IRUH[DPSOHRUDZHVWHUQDQG \RXUROOp&\ERUJ.LOOLQJ0DFKLQHqMXVWDGDSWLWWR LWVQDWXUDOJHQUHHTXLYDOHQW ,I\RXUFDPSDLJQLVDQLPHVW\OHQRJHQUHFRQYHUVLRQV DUHHYHUQHFHVVDU\. 3DJH.
(46) &KDUDFWHU&UHDWLRQ. &KDUDFWHU&UHDWLRQ. CORE CLICHÉS A nation that draws too broad a difference between its scholars and its warriors will have its thinking done by cowards, and its fighting done by fools. – Thucydides Let’s return to those dozen endeavors I tossed off so casually a minute ago. They’re just an arbitrary chunking of skills, sure, but they’re a little trickier than that, too … They correspond to the molds from which many adventure heroes are cast, because such characters – deliberately or just because it works out that way – are written, and played, to exemplify one of that magic dozen. Actually using a core cliché as a cliché is pretty dull; they’re just keys, not characters. But in a game as loose as Risus, where that Starpilot/Druid/Samurai/Bard really is a likely PC, it can be helpful to decide which flag you really fly above all the others. Recognizing your core cliché is like finding your seat in the orchestra, and it can help provide a solid anchor for whatever wild creation you may have spawned. It’s useful, too, to recognize which core cliché you usually play, because if you’ve been itching to be somebody radically different, Risus is the game to do it in. Risus provides a very forgiving foundation for “departure” characters, since every cliché is equally useful, except the oddball ones which are equally more useful. Use what you learn to turn tradition on its ear. It is generally true that, in fantasy, a Bard can belt out a tune and enthrall an angry crowd, but who’s to say that a very charismatic Standup Comic couldn’t be given the same kind of romantic powers to woo the masses? There aren’t any examples I can think of in novels or films, but RPGs are, when you get down to it, much, much more powerful and versatile than static fiction. Seize that power, and take the story where the story wouldn’t go without a warped mind like yours to guide the way. With all that in mind, we’ll drop in on the core clichés throughout the book.. ANATOMY OF A CLICHÉ $QDWRP\LVGHVWLQ\ s6LJPXQG)UHXG $6XUO\1RUWKHUQ%DUEDULDQ:RPDQ(DJHUWR 7DVWHWKH%ORRGRIWKH&RDVWODQGHUV
(47) LVQoWDQ\ PRUHRUOHVVpSRZHUIXOqWKDQD%DUEDULDQ
(48) EXW ZHJHWDFOHDUHUSLFWXUHRIZKDWVKHoVFDSDEOHRI DQGZKDWVKHoVOLNH:HNQRZVKHoVSUREDEO\EHW WHUDWEHLQJLQWLPLGDWLQJWKDQLQJUDWLDWLQJWKDW KHUVXUYLYDOVNLOOVDUHRULHQWHGWRFRROHUFOLPDWHV DQGWKDWVKHoVSUREDEO\QRWFRPIRUWDEOHZLWKD FUDEELQJQHWRUDFRQFKVKHOO+HUH[SOLFLWKRVWLOLW\ WRWKH&RDVWODQGHUVLPSOLHVWKDWVKHoVILUPO\URRW HGLQKHUKRPHFXOWXUHDQGXQOLNHO\WRFKDQJHKHU ZD\V7KHZKROHSDFNDJHLVHYRFDWLYHDQGLQIRUP DWLYH6KHoVGLVWLQFWIURPKHUSDUWQHUWKH&KHHUIXO $OFRKROLF1RUWKHUQ%DUEDULDQ(DJHUWR%HWWHU +LPVHOILQWKH%URDGHU:RUOG
(49) +HoVD%DUEDULDQ
(50) WRREXWDYHU\GLIIHUHQWRQH$UXQGRZQRI WKHPDQ\WKLQJVDFOLFKÅPLJKWLQFOXGH 3URIHVVLRQ 7KLVLVWKHFRUHRIPRVWRUGLQDU\ FOLFKÅV DMREOLNH3ULYDWH(\HRU)LJKWHU3LORW2I. FRXUVHVRPHFKDUDFWHUVGRQoWUHDOO\KDYH MREV)RU WKRVHVNLSWKLVNLQGRIFOLFKÅHQWLUHO\RULQVHUW WKHQHDUHVWHTXLYDOHQW ZKDWWKH\GRWRSDVVWKH GD\SXWIRRGLQWKHLUWXPPLHVWKDWNLQGRIWKLQJ )UHTXHQWO\D9DPSLUH
(51) LVMXVWD9DPSLUH
(52) s WKDWoVZKDWKHGRHV +HJRHVDURXQGeYDPSLULQJ 6RPHWLPHVWKRXJKKHoVD9DPSLUH:DO0DUW *UHHWHU
(53) RUD9DPSLUH$WWRUQH\
(54) 5DFHRU6SHFLHV $Q$VWURQDXW
(55) LVRQHWKLQJ D 0LQRWDXU$VWURQDXW
(56) LVDZKROHnQRWKHUEDOORI WZLQH+HoOOQHHGDELJJHUEXEEOHKHOPHWIRURQH WKLQJ&KDUDFWHUUDFH RUVSHFLHVLI\RXU*0FHOH EUDWHGWKHQHZPLOOHQQLXPD\HDUODWHUWKDQQRU PDOSHRSOH
(57) PDNHVDQH[FHOOHQWPRGLILHUWRFRORUD KXPGUXPFOLFKÅRUWRDGGWKHVQDS DQGSRS WR RQHWKDWDOUHDG\FUDFNOHV,WoVEHVWWRWDJWKLVRQWR \RXUSULPDU\ FOLFKÅsWKHRQHWKDWPRVWGHILQHV WKHFRUHRI\RXUFKDUDFWHURU EDUULQJWKDW
(58) WKH RQHZLWKWKHPRVWGLFH,IDFKDUDFWHULVD 'ZDUYLVK'HUYLVK
(59) ZHoOOEHDEOHWRJXHVVWKDW KHoVp'ZDUYLVKqLQDOOKLVRWKHUFOLFKÅVWRR XQOHVV KHoVDERWKD'ZDUYLVK'HUYLVKDQGDQ(OYHQ $UFKHULQZKLFKFDVHPRVWRIKLV3KDW'XQJHRQ /RRWZLOOVRRQEHORQJWRKLVWKHUDSLVW
(60) . 3DJH.
(61) &KDUDFWHU&UHDWLRQ. &KDUDFWHU&UHDWLRQ. &XOWXUDO%DFNJURXQG ,QVRPHJDPHZRUOGV WKHUHoVQRVXFKWKLQJ%DUEDULDQV
(62) DUHIURP pZKHUHYHULWLV%DUEDULDQV
(63) FRPHIURPq %XWLQ PRUHLQWHUHVWLQJJDPHZRUOGVFXOWXUHZRQoWMXVW DIIHFW\RXUUROHSOD\LQJEXWWKHVSHFLILFVRI\RXU DELOLWLHVWRR(YHU\RQHNQRZVWKDWD*ORUEHGULDQ &UD\ILVK6RUFHUHU
(64) OHDUQVHQWLUHO\GLIIHUHQWWHFK QLTXHVRIWKH'HDGO\&ODZ'DQFHWKDQD -DFORPDGULDQ&UD\ILVK6RUFHUHU
(65) DQGWKDWoVWKH NLQGRIGHWDLOWKDWFDQEULQJDZKROHFDPSDLJQWR OLIH:KDWLI\RXU0LQRWDXU$VWURQDXW
(66) LVIURP WKH/DQGRI3XUSOH/LJKWQLQJ":KDWLIKHoVIURP &DSH7RZQ" 3HUVRQDO+LVWRU\ 1RUPDOO\ DFOLFKÅLVDYHU\SUHVHQWWHQVH FRQFHSWEXWVRPHH[FHOOHQW FOLFKÅVLPSO\ZKDWDFKDUDFWHU XVHGWREHDQGSHUKDSVFDQEH DJDLQLIWKHRFFDVLRQGHPDQGVLW -XVWWKURZLQJLQWKHZRUGOLNHpIRUPHUqFDQ FKDQJHWKHFKDUDFWHURIDFOLFKÅFRQVLGHUDEO\ DQGDOORZFOLFKÅVWKDWZRXOGRWKHUZLVHFRQWUD GLFW7KHUHoVORWVRISUHFHGHQFHIRUKHURLFJRRG JX\W\SHVEHLQJD)RUPHU&ULPLQDO
(67) IRU LQVWDQFHsJLYLQJWKHPDFRQYHQLHQWPL[RI UHGHPSWLRQGULYHQPRWLYHVXQXVXDOVRFLDOFRQ WDFWVDQGKDQG\EUHDNLQJDQGHQWHULQJVNLOOV &RPSDUDEO\D&\QLFDO6HOI,QWHUHVWHG1LJKWFOXE 2ZQHU
(68) PLJKWEHD)RUPHU+HURLF0HUFHQDU\ .QRZQIRU'HIHQGLQJWKH8QGHUGRJ
(69) DQG MXVWQHHGVDJRRGZRPDQ DQGDGDVKLQJ )UHQFKPDQ
(70) WREULQJKLPEDFNLQWRILJKWLQJWKH JRRGILJKW2UDQ$UWLVW
(71) PLJKWEHDQ$UWLVW )RUPHUO\.QRZQDV3ULQFH
(72) 'HJUHHRI'HGLFDWLRQ 6RPHWLPHVWKHSUHVHQWLV DVWHQXRXVDVWKHSDVW<RXFDQLPSO\DPRUHGLV WDQWFRQQHFWLRQLQDSUHVHQWWHQVHFOLFKÅE\EHLQJ D:HHNHQG:DUULRU
(73) D'DEEOHULQWKH'DUN$UWV
(74) RUDQ$PDWHXU%UDLQ6XUJHRQ
(75) &RQYHUVHO\ \RXNQRZDFOLFKÅLVQHDUDQGGHDUWRDFKDUDFWHUoV KHDUWZLWKFOLFKÅVOLNH'HYRWHG3ULHVWRIWKH+DLU\ *RG
(76) 2YHU]HDORXV&RPEDW0HGLF)RUHYHU 5XQQLQJ2XWRI*DX]H
(77) RU%DUU\0DQLORZoV $EVROXWH%LJJHVW)DQ
(78) $0RPP\DQG'DGG\%DUEDULDQZKR/RYH(DFK 2WKHU9HU\0XFK
(79) . 5HOLJLRQRU3KLORVRSKLFDO%HQW $Q,ULVK 0LQRWDXU$VWURQDXW
(80) LVJURRY\EXWDQ,ULVK 6KLQWR0LQRWDXU$VWURQDXW
(81) LVUHDOO\FRRNLQJ ZLWKJDV$OZD\VNHHSLQPLQGZKHQGHVLJQLQJ \RXUFKDUDFWHUWKDWFRPEDWLQ5LVXV LVDPDQ\ VSOHQGRUHGWKLQJDQGLIVRPHERG\DWWDFNV\RX ZLWKDVWUHDPRIUKHWRULFLWoVMXVWSODLQFODVV\ WR EHDEOHWRILJKWEDFNZLWKRXWUHVRUWLQJWR ,QDSSURSULDWH&OLFKÅV 6RFLDO&ODVVDQG)LQDQFLDO0HDQV )RUPDQ\ FOLFKÅVWKLVGHWDLOLVKDUGZLUHGWRSURIHVVLRQ LID FKDUDFWHULVD*XPVKRH
(82) ZHNQRZKHoVDZRUN LQJFODVV-RHZLWKDEDWWHUHGIHGRUDZLWKRXWDVN LQJ2QWKHRWKHUKDQGLILWoVWKH'HSUHVVLRQ DQG LWRIWHQLVZLWKWKRVHJXPVKRHV
(83) PD\EHKHoVD *XPVKRH2QWKH6NLGV
(84) sKHoVORVWKLVRIILFH DQGKHoVOLYLQJLQWKHVKDQW\WRZQVSURWHFWLQJWKH GLVSRVVHVVHG nFDXVHWKHFRSVVXUHZRQoW
(85) )RU RWKHUNLQGVRIFOLFKÅVLWFDQMXVWEHDIXQJORVVWR SRLQWRXWLIWKH\oUHULFKRUSRRUZRUNLQJKDUGRU KDUGO\ZRUNLQJ6LQFHLQPDQ\VHWWLQJVZHDOWKLV FORVHO\WLHGWRZKLFKVRFLDOFLUFOHVDFKDUDFWHU PRYHVLQLWFDQEHDFUXFLDOGHWDLOLQDQDGYHQ WXUH *HQGHU 6RPHsHYHQPDQ\sFKDUDFWHUFOLFKÅV LPSO\WKHFKDUDFWHUoVVH[6D\ZRUGVOLNHpLQYHQ WRUqRUpFRSqRUpDVWURQDXWqRUpPHUFHQDU\qDQG WKHGHIDXOWLPDJHLVDGXGH%\FRQWUDVWFOLFKÅV OLNHpSURVWLWXWHqRUpQXUVHqRUpZLWFKqFRQMXUH LPDJHVRIZRPHQLQPRVWPLQGV7KLVVD\VDORW RIWKLQJVDERXWERWKDGYHQWXUHILFWLRQDQGRXU FXOWXUHsWKLQJVWRRGHHSDQGLPSRUWDQWWREHKLQWHGDW LQD5LVXV ERRN,WFDQEHKHOSIXOWKRXJKWRLQGL FDWHJHQGHULQ\RXUSULPDU\FOLFKÅHVSHFLDOO\LI \RXUFOLFKÅLQFOXGHVVRPHFRQFHSWVWUDGLWLRQDOO\ DVVRFLDWHGsIDLUO\RUQRWsZLWKDGLIIHUHQW VH[2I FRXUVH\RXUFKDUDFWHUoVQDPH FDQSURYLGHDFOHDU HQRXJKLQGLFDWRUWRREXW,QHYHUSDVVXSDQRWKHU ZD\WRSDGP\FOLFKÅVRXWWRULGLFXORXVOHQJWKV QRUVKRXOG\RX *URXS$IILOLDWLRQ ,QPDQ\VHWWLQJVWKHUHDUH SRZHUIXOJURXSVWKDWDFWDVJOREDOSXSSHWHHUV FRPPDQGLQJHQWLUHQDWLRQVIURPWKHVKDGRZV DQFLHQWFRQVSLUDFLHVWKDWSHUPHDWHHYHU\OHYHORI VRFLHW\7KH\NQRZZKR\RXDUH7KH\NQRZ ZKDW\RXoUHGRLQJULJKWWKLVLQVWDQW (YHU\WKLQJLV XQGHUWKHLUFRQWURO7KLVLVWKHNLQGRIWKLQJDQ. 3DJH .
(86) &KDUDFWHU&UHDWLRQ. &KDUDFWHU&UHDWLRQ. ,ULVK6KLQWR0LQRWDXU$VWURQDXW)UHHPDVRQ
(87) ZRXOGNQRZDOODERXW2QWKHRWKHUKDQGLW PLJKWMXVWEHIXQWRNQRZWKDW\RXU*ULP 9LJLODQWH
(88) LVD*ULP9LJLODQWH6FRXW7URRS /HDGHU
(89) RUDPHPEHULQJRRGVWDQGLQJZLWKWKH &ROXPELD5HFRUG&OXE 'HPHDQRU &KHHUIXOVXUO\GHIHDWLVWKDXJKW\ VWDUU\H\HGDQGLQQRFHQWZHDWKHUEHDWHQDQG F\QLFDOe$OLWWOHSHUVRQDOLW\JRHVDORQJZD\WR VSUXFLQJXSDFOLFKÅDQGPDNLQJLWGLIIHUHQWIURP WKHFOLFKÅQH[WGRRU,IJLYHQWKHFKRLFHEHWZHHQ EHLQJPXUGHUHGE\D-ROO\*UDQGIDWKHUO\+LW0DQ
(90) DQGD&ROG+HDUWHG7ZLWFK\+LW0DQ
(91) ZKLFKZRXOG\RXSUHIHU",oOOWDNHP\FKDQFHV ZLWKWKHRQHSOD\HGE\:LOIRUG%ULPOH\ $SSHDUDQFH +DQGVRPHPXVFXODUZLU\SDOHe /RRNVDUHQoWHYHU\WKLQJEXWWKH\FDQEHDORW 6RPHSRLQWVRIDSSHDUDQFHDUHNH\VWRFOLFKÅGSHU VRQDOLWLHVWRR(YHU\RQHNQRZVWKDWD%HDG\(\HG /LWWOH6QHDN
(92) LVHYHQOHVV WUXVWZRUWK\WKDQDQ RUGLQDU\6QHDN
(93) DQGWKDWD6TXDUH-DZHG )RRWEDOO+HUR
(94) LVHYHQPRUH KHURLFWKDQRQH ZLWKDFXUYLHUFRXQWHQDQFH +DP+DQGHG5HIHUHQFHV <RXFDQoWKDYHWRR PXFKKDPQRWLQ5LVXV<RXFDQEXLOGVRPH H[FHOOHQWFOLFKÅVE\PDNLQJGLUHFW RUVO\
(95) UHIHU HQFHVWRDFWRUVDFWUHVVHVILFWLRQDOFKDUDFWHUVRU JHQUHFRQYHQWLRQV6LPSO\FDOOLQJDFKDUDFWHUD :RRG\$OOHQ
(96) -DFNLH&KDQ
(97) RU0DUJDUHW 'XPRQW
(98) FDQVSHDNYROXPHVLQWKHULJKW FRQWH[WQROHVVWKDQEHLQJD6KHUORFN
(99) 6K\ORFN
(100) 5RPHR
(101) RU5HGVKLUW
(102) *RDOV 1HYHURYHUORRNWKHYDOXHRIWKLV RQH DFKDUDFWHUoVJRDOVGHWHUPLQH KRZKHGHYHORSVKLVVNLOOV$ *HQHWLF(QJLQHHU 'HWHUPLQHG7R&XUH &DQFHU
(103) SUREDEO\ GRHVQoWVKDUHRIILFHVSDFH ZLWKD*HQHWLF(QJLQHHU %HQWRQ:RUOG'RPLQDWLRQ
(104) HYHQWKRXJKWKH\PD\ KDYHURRPHGWRJHWKHULQ FROOHJH WKH5HHG 5LFKDUGV9LFWRU9RQ'RRP HIIHFW
(105) . 6HOI,PDJH )UXVWUDWHGVHOIULJKWHRXVKXPEOH VHOIORDWKLQJe7KLVLVDXVHIXOFRXVLQWRDFKDUDF WHUoVJRDOV VRPHWLPHVDFOLFKÅFDQWHOOXVZKDWD FKDUDFWHULV DQGZKDWKHWKLQNV KHLVDOODWRQFH 'HFLGHLI\RXUFKDUDFWHURYHURUXQGHUHVWLPDWHV KLPVHOIWRWUDQVIRUPD6ZRUGILJKWHU
(106) LQWRD 6ZRUGILJKWLQJ/HJHQGLQ+LV2ZQ0LQG
(107) eRU WRIOHVKRXWD*HQWOH*LDQW
(108) WRD*HQWOH*LDQW &RQYLQFHG+HoVD0RQVWHU8QILWWR/LYH
(109) ,W RQO\WDNHVDOLWWOHGUHVVLQJWRPDNHDVQDFNDPHDO ZKHQ\RXoUHGLQLQJRQFOLFKÅ 6XESORWVDQG5HODWLRQVKLSV 1RFOLFKÅLVDQ LVODQGDQGFOLFKÅVFDQLQFOXGHRWKHUSHRSOH LQWKHP 7KH\oUHWKDWFRROFOLFKÅVDUH)RUH[DPSOHD )LJKWHU3LORW7KH2WKHU*X\V6HHN2XW)RU 5RPDQFH$GYLFH
(110) LVERXQGWRKDYHVRPHFRRO UROHSOD\LQJPRPHQWVEHWZHHQ RUHYHQGXULQJ
(111) GRJILJKWV6LPLODUO\D*OREH+RSSLQJ$UFKDHRORJLVW 6HFUHWO\,Q/RYHZLWKWKH+RW5HGKHDG:KR.HHSV 6WHDOLQJ+LV)LQGV
(112) LVMXVWDVNLQJIRUDUROOLFNLQJ QHZGLPHQVLRQWRWKHVDPHROGUXLQGHOYLQJVWRU\ 7KDWNLQGRIDVNLQJLVJRRGVWXII 3UREOHPV )RU\HDUVIDQVKDYHDVNHGp:K\ ZRXOGDQ\RQHZDQWDQHJDWLYHFOLFKÅ"q7KH\ GRQoWPHDQD)LJKWHU
(113) WKH\oUHXVXDOO\UHVSRQG LQJWRDFKDUDFWHU,oYHPDGHVRPHWKLQJDORQJWKH OLQHVRID/HFKHURXV%OLQG6ZDVKEXFNOHU
(114) RUD 'LUW3RRU1HFURPDQFHU:LWK$Q8QPHQWLRQDEOH 3UREOHPLQWKH%HGURRP
(115) $FFXVWRPHGWRWKH QRWLRQWKDWpIODZVqDQGpGLVDGYDQWDJHVqDUHEXU GHQVRQO\ERUQHLQH[FKDQJHIRUFKDUDFWHU PRMRERRW\WKHQRWLRQRIVSHQGLQJ GLFHWREH DEOLQGSHUVRQVWULNHVVRPHDVRGG$P, FUD]\"/LNHDIR[$ /HFKHURXV%OLQG6ZDVKEXFNOHU FDQVFRUHSOHQW\RI+DXJKW\ (QJOLVK/DVV
(116) ZLWKD V\PSDWK\URXWLQHDQG EDIIOHKLVRSSRQHQWVE\H[WLQ JXLVKLQJWKHFDQGOHVDQG GHIHDWLQJWKHPLQWKH GDUN6XUHKLV7DUJHW 1XPEHUWRUHDGWKH 1HFURQRPLFRQLQD VLQJOHQLJKWZLOOEH RXWUDJHRXVEXWWKDW MXVWPHDQVKHZDNHV. 3DJH.
(117) &KDUDFWHU&UHDWLRQ. ,QYDGHGE\6PLI. XSLQWKHPRUQLQJVWLOOVDQHDQGFXGGOHGXSZLWK FKLFNVZKLOH3URIHVVRU%HVSHFWDFOHGLVVWDULQJLQWR RWKHUGLPHQVLRQVDQGGURROLQJRQKLVFDUGLJDQ $QGEHVLGHV WURXEOHGFKDOOHQJHGDQGLPSHUIHFW FKDUDFWHUVDUHMXVWPRUHIXQWREHOLHYHLQ,QD FRPHG\JDPHWKH\oUHIXQQLHU,QDGUDPDWLF JDPHWKH\oUHPRUHGUDPDWLF,WoVDZLQZLQ 9HU\FRRO FRVWXPH IRUWKH 9LJLODQWH 6FRXW /HDGHU PDQ. ABSENCE SPEAKS LOUDER THAN WORDS $EVHQFHGLPLQLVKHVOLWWOHSDVVLRQVDQGLQFUHDVHV JUHDWRQHVDVZLQGH[WLQJXLVKHVFDQGOHVDQG IDQVDILUH s)UDQFRLVGHOD5RFKHIRXFDXOG. :KD""" ,WKRXJKWWKDW ZDV<28. A CORE CLICHÉ: THE CHARISMATIC All charming people have something to conceal, usually their total dependence on the appreciation of others. – Cyril Connolly The Charismatic is the romantic seducer, the wily haggler, the wisecracking confidence trickster, the soul-stirring minstrel. He’s all about convincing and inspiring people, and Player Characters often have a lot of need to be convincing. Sometimes a crowd needs rousing (or an angry mob needs quieting), sometimes a stubborn NPC needs a little grease or sugar to get that vital clue, and it’s just plain safer to be invited into the Dark Lord’s compound as honored guests than it is to hack through all those guards. You’ll be hacking through them on the way out, anyway.. 7KHPRVWEDVLFFOLFKÅLVDVLPSOHWHUPGHVFULELQJD SURIHVVLRQRUOLIHGHILQLQJUROHe%XWWKHWUXWKLV LWoVDOPRVWQHYHUQHFHVVDU\ WRLQFOXGHDFKDUDFWHUoV GHILQLQJUROHDVDFOLFKÅ$QGVRPHWLPHVOHDYLQJD VKDSHO\VLOHQFHLQWKHFOLFKÅOLVWFDQFRPPXQLFDWH VRPHWKLQJYHU\SRWHQWDQGXVHIXO)RUH[DPSOH KHUHoVDVWHUHRW\SLFDO0DVWHU6OHXWK . MRS. BUTTERBREAD Description: A strange, pear-shaped little woman, elderly and cheery. Her white hair is tinged metallic blue, and she commands a small army of miniature dogs (mostly toy poodles and Lhasa apsos). To keep herself occupied, she stalks along foggy hedgerows and across quiet courtyards, solving the murders that stump Scotland Yard. Clichés: Kindly Grandmother-to-Everyone (4), Bothersome Fussbudget (3), Small-Breed Dog Enthusiast (3). 7KLVFKDUDFWHULVRQHWREHUHFNRQHGZLWKDUPHG ZLWKWKHIXOOPLJKWRI5LVXV6KHoVDGHWHFWLYHe WKDWoVZKDWKHUDGYHQWXUHVDERXWDQGWRDJUHDW H[WHQWWKDWoVZKDWKHUOLIHLVDERXW DQGKDVEHHQ HYHUVLQFHKHUGHDUKXVEDQG-HUUROGGLHGLQWKHZDU eGRQoWDVNZKLFK ZDU
(118) 'HVSLWHKHUIRFXV WKRXJKKHUFOLFKÅVQHYHUZDQGHUQHDU ZRUGVOLNH. In modern and futuristic games, just about any Charismatic is either a suave-and-sexy type, a naturally magnetic leader, or a shifty con artist. Just watch some old A-Team episodes to catch Dirk Benedict burning that candle from both ends and round the middle. With fantasy the cliché broadens a little, thanks to a tradition of artistic characters: jesters and minstrels and tale-tellers that can enthrall, anger, or soothe with clever patter and a plucked string or two. Of course, we’ve also got science fiction where teenage pop stars can save us from alien invaders, so there’s hope for the “game-effective artiste” concept to spread its wings a little.. 3DJH.
(119) &KDUDFWHU&UHDWLRQ. &KDUDFWHU&UHDWLRQ. pGHWHFWLYHqRUpVOHXWKq7KHUHLVQoWDVLQJOHFOLFKÅ WKHUHWKDWLPSOLHVDQDELOLW\WRGXVWIRUILQJHU SULQWVUDWWOHRIIVWDWXWHVRUKDQGOHDUHYROYHU 0UV%XWWHUEUHDGGRHVQoWGRDQ\ RIWKRVHWKLQJV RIFRXUVH,IWKRVHWHFKQLTXHVKDGEHHQZRUNLQJ 6FRWODQG<DUGZRXOGKDYHFUDFNHGWKHFDVHDQGD 0DVWHU6OHXWKZRXOGQoWEHQHFHVVDU\WRVDYHWKH GD\+HUZHDSRQVDUHEDFN\DUGJRVVLSDQLQWLPDWH NQRZOHGJHRIGRLO\SDWWHUQVDQGDJUHDWIDLWKLQ WKHHPSDWKLFLQVWLQFWVRIWLQ\GHHSO\LQEUHG \DSS\GRJV'RHV,QVSHFWRU:DOODFHRIWKH<DUG QRWLFHWKHGLIIHUHQFHEHWZHHQDFXUUDQW MDPDQGD EODFNEHUU\ MDP"1REXWWKDWVWDLQVROYHVWKHPXU GHUDQG0UV%XWWHUEUHDGLVWKHUHWRNQRZKRZ. RQHZKRFDQVHHZKDWVXFKFKDUDFWHUVRYHUORRN DQGZKRZLOOWU\WKLQJVWKDWVXFKFKDUDFWHUV ZRXOGQoWFRQVLGHU 2IFRXUVH0UV%XWWHUEUHDGLVZHOODUPHGIRU DQRWKHURIWKHSLOODUVDVZHOO WRWKHYLFWRUJRWKH VSRLOV :KHQVKHOD\VGRZQWKHJHQWOHEXWGHDGO\ JXLOWWULSVPDFNGRZQDVRQO\DpNLQGO\JUDQG PRWKHUqFDQ\RXoOOIHHOWKHSDLQZKHUHYHUVKH ZDQWV \RXWRIHHOLW1R0DVWHU6OHXWKQHHGVD UHYROYHUZKHQVKHoVDUPHGZLWKDVRIWDGPRQLVK PHQWDQGDSDLQHGORRNRIGLVDSSRLQWPHQW. 7KLVWHFKQLTXHUHWXUQVXVWRRQHRIWKHSLOODUVRI WKH5LVXV JDPHHQJLQHDQGE\H[WHQVLRQRIWKH 5LVXV SKLORVRSK\ HYHU\FOLFKÅLVEHDXWLIXOeWKH QRWLRQRIWKHpLQDSSURSULDWHFOLFKÅq,WoVQRWMXVW IRUPDNLQJKDLUGUHVVHUVIHDUVRPHLQFRPEDWDQG LWoVQRWMXVWDYHKLFOHIRUIDUFH2QHNLQGRIKHURLF FKDUDFWHULVRIFRXUVHVRPHRQHZKRoVMXVW H[WUHPHO\JRRG DWZKDWKHGRHV%XWWKHRWKHULVWKH NLQGRIFKDUDFWHUZKREULQJVDQHZDSSURDFK WRWKH FDVHWRWKHEDWWOHWRWKHTXHVWe6RPHRQHZKR LVQoWDVXSHUKHURRUDZDUULRURUDFRSEXWUDWKHU. ,I,gPOXFN\,FDQWDNH GRZQWKHIRUFHVFUHHQ JHQHUDWRUIURPKHUH. A CORE CLICHÉ: THE ATHLETE Nobody in the game of football should be called a genius. A genius is somebody like Norman Einstein. – Joe Theismann The Athlete is strong, fast, and limber. His forte is raw human prowess. A well-rounded band of heroes often has one: he’s the one they ask to kick a door in, chase down the hooligan, or swing that vine across a deadly pit of lava. He’s got a cliché like Hometown Football Hero (4), or she’s got one like Perky Gymnast (5). There’s another choice here, too: are you about power and raw strength? Or are you agile and quick? Of course, some athletes are just well rounded, healthy people at the peak of human condition and performance. Lets take a moment to resent them. Nearly any kind of combat cliché implies a degree of athletic prowess … Certainly, a Swashbuckler (4) can swing from chandeliers and a Medieval Warrior (4) can haul up a portcullis. And what kind of Martial Artist (3) isn’t also an acrobat? All true, but the Athlete is something beyond a fighter’s respectable health. In science fiction, for example, there’s a fun tradition of real sports playing a part in a character’s background. You can be an Athlete to show off the nifty low-gravity arena games of the future (and score alien cheerleaders with exotic bedroom talents) … Or you can focus on athletics just to show that you’re good and trustworthy. Despite SF’s general pro-brains, anti-brute-force vibe, we can still tell our hero is a standup guy if we know he ran track or quarterbacked his high school football team. Fantasy invites athletes to shine, too, as the forte of Asian-style monks who practice incredible physical feats by sitting still and humming, or elves who can run through the forests for days at a time to deliver a vital message, Olympictorch style, to a king that needs to be warned of the coming army.. 3DJH.
(120) &KDUDFWHU&UHDWLRQ. &KDUDFWHU&UHDWLRQ. THE MEGAVERSAL OMNIGROOVY BACKGROUND MACHINE ,WLVRQO\LQDGYHQWXUHWKDWVRPHSHRSOHVXFFHHG LQNQRZLQJWKHPVHOYHVsLQILQGLQJWKHPVHOYHV s$QGUH*LGH +XUU\KXUU\KXUU\6WHSULJKWXSDQGZLWQHVV WKLV SKDQWDVPDJRULFDOIHDWRIIDEXORXVIDQWDV\7KLV PDUYHORXVGHYLFHLVMXVWDVLQJOHWDEOHMXVWRQH VPDOOWDEOH WKDWZLOOUHVWRUHKDLUWREDOGLQJFKDUDF WHUVLQVSLUHYLJRULQWKHEHGURRPDQGHDVHWKH VXIIHULQJRIFDPSDLJQORJLFE\SXWWLQJLW WKH ORJLFQRWWKHFDPSDLJQ
(121) RXWRILWVPLVHU\. 7KLVLVWKH0HJDYHUVDO2PQLJURRY\%DFNJURXQG 0DFKLQHDVWUHDPOLQHGGHYLFHWKDWZLOOUHSODFH VHYHUDOEXONLHULWHPVFXUUHQWO\RQ\RXUNLWFKHQ FRXQWHU3XOOWKHOHYHUDIHZWLPHV LI\RXFDQoW ILQGWKHOHYHUUROOLQJVRPHSHUFHQWLOHGLFHZLOOGR
(122) DQG\RXZLOOOHDUQWKHUHDVRQVZK\ :K\\RXU FKDUDFWHULV ZKDWKHLV:K\KHEHOLHYHVZKDWKH EHOLHYHV:K\KHoVVWULYLQJ WRZDUGZKDWHYHULWLV KHoVVWULYLQJWRZDUG 7KH02%0DFKLQHGRHVQoWFUHDWH\RXUFKDUDFWHU IRU\RX \RXoYHDOUHDG\GRQHWKDW,QVWHDGLWSUR YLGHVDVWHDPLQJSODWHRIKDOIEDNHGUDWLRQDOHDQG VHUYHVLWXSZLWKPXVWDUGVDXFH<RXFDQEDNHLW WKHUHVWRIWKHZD\RUHDWLWUDZ DV\RXUSUHGLOHF WLRQVGHPDQG:LWKRXWIXUWKHUDGLHX . THE MEGAVERSAL, OMNIGROOVY BACKGROUND MACHINE (1D100) 01 - You achieved some fame 02 - You accidentally killed your pet 03 - You accepted something that shouldn't have been yours 04 - There was a terrible accident 05 - The GM pressured you into it 06 - Someone tricked you 07 - Someone powerful or wealthy took an interest in you 08 - Someone gave you a hickey 09 - Someone gave you a cryptic warning 10 - Someone depended on you 11 - Somebody was honest enough to tell you that your poetry or artwork is awful 12 - Nobody understood you 13 - It seemed like a good idea at the time 14 - Good fortune brought you unexpected money 15 - Bullies picked on you 16 - A plate of spicy food affected you 17 - A new religion or philosophy caught your interest 18 - A group you disliked or didn't trust did you a good turn, and changed your feelings about them 19 - A group you admired ridiculed, ignored, or excluded you 20 - You are doing this to spite a relative's wishes 21 - You are following in a relative's footsteps 22 - You aren't of this Earth (or of this whateverplanet-this-is) 23 - You can wiggle your eyebrows independently. 24 - You forgave someone for a long-standing wrong 25 - You finally had to give up your wooby 26 - You fell very ill 27 - You failed to achieve something you wanted very much 28 - You failed as an artist 29 - You committed a crime with friends but you were the only one to get away 30 - You committed a crime with friends but you were the only one caught 31 - You gave shelter to an unusual traveler 32 - You got in a fight 33 - You had a career that you thought would last your whole life, but it didn't work out 34 - You had a lot of siblings 35 - You had a transformingly good romance 36 - You had some incredibly good sex 37 - You had some unusual dreams 38 - You have no idea. You certainly don't want to be what you are; it just keeps working out that way. 39 - You saw an inspiring movie 40 - You saw a hygiene play 41 - You sacrificed something you enjoyed for the good of another 42 - You reconciled with a parent or friend you had separated from 43 - You realized that you're different from the others 44 - You read a really good book. 3DJH.
(123) &KDUDFWHU&UHDWLRQ. &KDUDFWHU&UHDWLRQ. THE MEGAVERSAL, OMNIGROOVY BACKGROUND MACHINE (1D100) 45 - You never had a dog 46 - You needed to prove something as a point of pride 47 - You met the love of your life, but she stood you up and you never learned why 48 - You met someone who does the same thing, hated them, and it still bugs you that you ended up similar to them 49 - You met someone who does the same thing, did them a good turn, and in exchange they taught you something 50 - You met someone who does the same thing, and he impressed you/aided you/etc. 51 - You met someone who did something entirely unrelated, but it gave you the idea anyway 52 - You met a lifelong friend when strange events brought you together 53 - You made a moral or ethical choice that you still regret 54 - You made a discovery that surprised a lot of people, especially you 55 - You indulged in a lot of chemical entertainment 56 - You single-handedly solved a case involving stolen cheese 57 - You solved a mystery 58 - You spent time as a soldier, or among them 59 - You suffer from a disease 60 - You thought it would be cooler than it is 61 - You took a wrong turn 62 - You took some lessons 63 - You traveled beyond your homeland for the first time 64 - You turned left when you should have turned right 65 - You were admitted for routine gall bladder surgery but something went wrong 66 - You were arrested for a crime 67 - You were arrested for a crime you didn't commit. 68 - You were befriended by someone old and wise 69 - You were bitten by a radioactive animal of some kind 70 - You were bored 71 - You were entrusted with a special object 72 - You were forced, repeatedly, to eat a vegetable you didn't like 73 - You were frustrated by how badly others were doing it, so you decided to take up the cause and do it right 74 - You were given a cool science toy 75 - You were just filling in for somebody else 76 - Your parents were a member of an ethnic, cultural, or religious minority 77 - Your parents split up 78 - Your parents saved all of your naked baby pictures to embarrass you with later in life 79 - Your parents are unknown to you 80 - You're just doing it because it comes in handy in a fight 81 - You're in it for some secondary benefit, like money, fame, groupies, or discount skin care products. 82 - You witnessed a lot of suffering that you hadn't been aware of 83 - You witnessed a hilarious animal act that you hadn't been aware of 84 - You were visited by a supernatural entity (or believe you were) 85 - Your wicked Uncle Ernie was your babysitter 86 - Your parents were noticeably rich 87 - Your parents were noticeably poor 88 - Your parents were killed 89 - Your parents were infamous and despised 90 - Your parents were famous and admired 91 - You were too trusting 92 - You were threatened by shadows at night, then exposed to the light 93 - You were the savior of your people 94 - You were seriously wounded 95 - You were secretly attracted to someone you shouldn't desire 96 - You were kind of a jerk 97 - You were mistaken for somebody else 98 - You were raised in the traditions of a religion that emphasizes guilt 99 - You were raised on a farm by foster parents of some kind 00 - You were savaged by a turbot. 3DJH.
(124) &KDUDFWHU&UHDWLRQ. p,WoV$QRWKHU:D\RI/HDUQLQJ(QJOLVKq. The Machine in Action. THE TENETS OF RISUS, DISTILLED. 7RSURYLGHDQH[DPSOHRIWKH02%0DFKLQHoV ZRQGHUVZHoOOEHJLQZLWKDVWUDLJKWIRUZDUGIDQ WDV\FKDUDFWHUsDVSLULWXDOZRRGV\VRUWRIURJXH QDPHG6KHHWK-RQDV:KHQKHoVQRWDGYHQWXULQJ ZLWKKLVFRPSDQLRQVKHoVWUHNNLQJGHHSLQWRWKH &KDRV:RRGVWRWKH7HPSOHRI=RUWRFRQWLQXH KLVVWXGLHVRILFHPDJLF. There’s no wrong way to play. I’m not the last word on Risus rules. I’m just a consistent first word. The GM is not God. God is one of his little NPCs. Risus is a comedy RPG. It’s good for serious games only if you insist it is. Risus has rules for anything, not for everything.. SHEETH JONAS. Every cliché is beautiful (and game-useful), in its own way.. Description: A man with wisdom beyond his years and sideburns beyond his collar, Sheeth is equally comfortable in the steamy brothels of Nai-Noda and the frozen forests of the trackless north.. Any Risus mechanic can resolve any diceworthy challenge. The character’s abilities, not his props, determine his success.. Clichés: Kindhearted Northern Ranger (4), Acolyte of the Ice Wizards of Zor (3), Spare-Time Scholar (2), Gambler (1). WKH<HDURIWKH6SOLW6KDGRZV6KHHWKVSHQWD PRQWKDWGHDWKoVGRRUGXHWRDUDUHGLVHDVHRU FXUVHDQGKHZDVQXUVHGEDFNWRKHDOWKDWWKH ORFDOWHPSOH7KLVSURYLGHGWKHJHQHVLVRIWKH VFKRODUVKLSKHVWLOOSXUVXHVZKHQWLPHSHUPLWV. %XWe+RZGLGKHFRPHWREHWKLVZD\"+RZGLG D\RXQJPDQFKRRVHWKLVSDWKDQGWRZKDW H[WHQWZDVLWFKRVHQIRUKLP":H\DQNWKHOHYHU WKUHHWLPHVDQGOHDUQWKHWUXWK r <RXIHOOYHU\LOO r <RXDFFLGHQWDOO\NLOOHG\RXUSHW r $JURXS\RXGLVOLNHGRUGLGQoWWUXVWGLG\RXD JRRGWXUQDQGFKDQJHG\RXUIHHOLQJVDERXW WKHP 1RZLWIDOOVRQWKHSOD\HUWRZHDYHWKHVHWKUHH FUXFLDOHYHQWVLQWR6KHHWKoVSDVWDUUDQJLQJWKHP LQWRDTXLFNELRJUDSKLFDOVNHWFK r 7KHILUVWRQHVHHPVVLPSOHHQRXJKeZKLOHQRW DVFKRODUO\ODGE\QDWXUH\RXQJ6KHHWKZDV DOZD\VFXULRXVDERXWERRNVDQGVFUROOVDQG OHDUQHGWRUHDGHYHQWKRXJKKHGLGQoWKDYH PXFKSUDFWLFDOXVHIRULW2QHELWWHUZLQWHULQ. THE RISUS ROSETTA STONE? If you want a fun way to while away a rainy afternoon, print out the sample cliché list from Risus, next to the same list from the many foreign-language Risus translations. It’s difficult to summarize just how amusing the comparisons can be – and it’s a great way to work on becoming a polyglot.. r 2IWKHWKUHHWKHPLGGOHRQHORRNVWKHPRVW WUDXPDWLFVRZHDWWDFKWKDWWRWZR WKLQJV :H GHFLGHWKDWZKHQ6KHHWKZDVD\RXQJER\KH ZDVDELWRIDKHOOLRQZLWKOLWWOHUHVSHFWIRUOLIH DQGSURSHUW\:KLOHKRUVLQJDURXQGLQDEDUQ RZQHGE\KLVXQFOHKHFDXVHGDILUHWKDW WUDSSHGKLVSHWEDGJHULQH3DWFKHVLQWKH UDIWHUV/LWWOH3DWFKHV QHYHUPDGHLWRXWDOLYH 7KLVVRIWHQHGKLPIRUHYHUPRUHDFFRXQWLQJIRU KLVNLQGKHDUWHGQHVVDQG WKRXJKKHoGQHYHU DGPLWLW
(125) KLVRXWUDJHRXVVLGHEXUQVZKLFKORRND ORWOLNH3DWFKHVIURPWKHSURSHUDQJOH r :HFDQoWJRWKURXJKWKLVZLWKRXWJLYLQJD PRPHQWWRWKH,FH:L]DUGVRI=RUREYLRXVO\ 6RZKLOHWKHpJURXSqLQWKHWKLUGUHYHODWLRQ FRXOGMXVWDVHDVLO\EHWKH2UGHURI5DQJHUVRU WKH([TXLVLWH&RPSDQLRQVRI1DL1RGD /RFDO
(126) ZHOD\LWRQWKH,FH:L]DUGVeWKHHQLJ PDWLFNHHSHUVRIWKH&KDRV:RRGVZLWQHVVHG E\IHZOLYLQJPHQDQGWUXVWHGE\IHZHU$IHZ \HDUVDJRZHGHFLGHDTXHVWOHG6KHHWKLQWR WKRVHZRRGVWUDFNLQJGRZQVRPHYLOODLQVDQG p/LWWOHq3DWFKHVDIXOO\JURZQEDGJHULQHZHLJKHG SRXQGV. 3DJH.
(127) &KDUDFWHU&UHDWLRQ. &KDUDFWHU&UHDWLRQ. WKH\JRWWKHGURSRQKLPFDUYLQJKLPXSD WUHDW7KHZKROHWLPH6KHHWKDVVXPHGWKH\ ZHUHWKHSDZQVRIWKHP\VWHULRXV,FH:L]DUGV EXWLWZDVWKH,FH:L]DUGVZKRVDYHGKLVOLIH DQGsIRUWKHVHFRQGWLPHLQKLVOLIHs6KHHWK IRXQGKLPVHOIEHLQJQXUVHGEDFNWRKHDOWK DPRQJERRNVDQGVFUROOVe7KLVWLPHWKH\FRQ WDLQHGSRZHUIXOPDJLFV7KH,FH:L]DUGV LPSUHVVHGE\KLVOLWHUDF\DQGKLVHQRUPRXV IDFLDOKDLUWRRNKLPDVDSXSLODQGDVWKHLUOLDL VRQZLWKWKHRXWVLGHZRUOG 1RZGHVSLWHDYHU\FDVXDODWWLWXGHWRZDUGWKH FKDUDFWHUDQGDQRSHQZLOOLQJQHVVWREHVLOO\DERXW KLVVLGHEXUQVZHoYHWUDQVIRUPHGDJRRGFKDUDFWHU LQWRDQ2PQLJURRY\ RQH7DNHQWRH[WUHPHVWKH 0DFKLQHFDQH[SODLQHYHU\ IDFHWRIDFKDUDFWHU ZLWKDFRPELQDWLRQRISDVWHYHQWVDQGSUHVHQW WHQVHFRQGLWLRQVeDQRWKHU\DQNRIWKHOHYHU ZRXOGUHYHDOWKHRULJLQVRI6KHHWKoVLQWHUHVWLQWKH 1DL1RGDEURWKHOV DVLIZHFRXOGQoWJXHVV
(128) H[DFW. O\ZK\KHoVDUDQJHUDQGMXVWZK\KHoVDJDPEOHU RUZK\KHLVQoWDYHU\JRRG RQH
(129) 7KLVLVWKH PDJLFRIWKH0DFKLQH-XVWDGDEZLOOGR\RXJHQ HUDOO\ WRRPXFKEDFNJURXQGFUHDWHVDQDQFKRURI H[SHFWDWLRQVZKLOHMXVWDOLWWOHFUHDWHVZLQJVRI SURPLVH2UVRPHWKLQJ(LWKHUZD\LWoVPRQVWHU PRMR8VHLWZLVHO\. FINISHING TOUCHES 5LVXV FKDUDFWHUFUHDWLRQLVYHU\IDVWVRWKHUHoVQR QHHGDWDOOWRVNLSDQ\VWHSV,QSDUWLFXODUPDNH VXUHHYHU\RQHsHVSHFLDOO\WKH*0EXWHYHU\RQHs XQGHUVWDQGVZKDW\RX PHDQE\\RXUFOLFKÅ GHVFULSWLRQV$OVRLI\RXoUHQRWHQWLUHO\FOHDURQ ZKDW\RXU7RROVRIWKH7UDGHHQWDLODVNWKH*0 WRJLYH\RXDUXQGRZQVR\RXFDQMRWGRZQWKH LPSRUWDQWVWXII'RHVD%XUO\'ZDUYLVK:DUULRU
(130) KDYHDQD[H"$OPRVWFHUWDLQO\EXWGRHVKH KDYHDWRXFKVWRQHRUVRPHNLQGRIHQFKDQWHGKHO PHWODPS"0D\EHVRPD\EHQR$VNQRZ. THE LCBS The Risus stick figures are called the LCBs – Little Cartoon Bastards. They first appeared in my fanzines for an APA called All of the Above, but quickly became something I’d doodle into nearly anything given the chance. They became permanently associated with Risus in June of 2001, with the release of Risus version 1.5 – and they so perfectly express the feel and philosophy of Risus that I’m at a loss to imagine Risus ever existing without them. There are really only two LCBs, the One on the Left and the One on the Right – so called because they’ve often appeared as a pair exchanging dialogue. They have no other given names, though they’ve taken on character names in some instances (in the Cumberland Games ad appearing in the Dork Storm edition of Pokéthulhu, for example, they’re Sparky and Renfield, the heroes of Stickman City). When more than two LCBs appear at one time, it’s really just the same two guys, multiplied using advanced digital trickery, animatronics and other special effects. The LCBs have also appeared in many non-Risus capacities on the Blue Room website, and once decorated an article logo for Pyramid magazine. Some of the earliest drawings of the LCBs appear here for the first time since their fanzine publication.. 3DJH.
(131) MASTERING THE GAME RULES +DOIWKLVJDPHLV PHQWDO. 5. OBJECTS ARE LESS POSSIBLE THAN THEY APPEAR. s'DQQ\2]DUN. LVXV LVQoWFRPSOLFDWHGEXWDVRQHUHJXODU RQWKH5LVXV 0DLOLQJ/LVWRQFHVDLGLWFDQ EHVXEWOH $FUDFNHUMDFN5LVXV *0LVDQRGG GXFNUHDOO\SRVVHVVLQJDOORIWKHVHTXDOLWLHV . When an Elder Boogeyman turns your brain to oatmeal by flashing you with his improbable geometry, that’s an attack, as surely as whacking you with a baseball bat (and no more pleasant). In one sense, Call of Cthulhu’s “Sanity” mechanic – where a monster’s weirdness does damage to the hit points in your mind – is an important precursor to the “anything can be a fracas” Risus combat philosophy.. r $VLQFHUHDIIHFWLRQIRUFRPHG\ r $VLQFHUHDIIHFWLRQIRUDGYHQWXUHILFWLRQ r $VLQFHUHDIIHFWLRQIRUKLVJDPLQJJURXS r 1RQHHGWRUDWLRQDOL]HRUpUHSDLUqWKHVLOOLHUWUD GLWLRQVRIZKDWKHoVDIIHFWLRQDWHWRZDUGV. THE UNHOLY TRINITY. r ,QIDFWDKDQNHULQJWRFHOHEUDWHWKHP. %DOGULFNWKHDSHFUHDWXUHVRIWKH,QGXVKDYH PDVWHUHGWKLV1RZWU\DJDLQ. r )UHHGRPIURPWKHOLWHUDODQGWKHOLQHDU 7KHIROORZLQJVHFWLRQVZDQGHUWKURXJKWKH5LVXV HQJLQH7KHZDQGHULQJVODFNDSSDUHQWGLUHFWLRQRQ RFFDVLRQEXWQHYHUODFNIRUSXUSRVH7KH\IUH TXHQWO\ODFNVHULRXVQHVV$OVRH[FHSWLQRQH QRWDEOHLQVWDQFHWKH\ODFNUHIHUHQFHVWRpEORZSRG VTXHH]LQJVq:HoOOUHWXUQQRZDQGDJDLQWRWKRVH TXDOLWLHVRIDFUDFNHUMDFN5LVXV *06RPHWLPHVLW PD\HYHQEHDSSDUHQW. s(GPXQG%ODFNDGGHU ,IWKHUHLVDVLQJOHNH\ WRJHWWLQJWKHPRVWIURP WKHUXOHVLWoVDWKRURXJKXQGHUVWDQGLQJRIZKDW, VRPHWLPHVFDOOWKHXQKRO\WULQLW\sWKHWKUHHFRQ IOLFWPHFKDQLFVWKDWIRUPWKHJDPHoVHQJLQH $EVROXWHO\DQ\ FRQIOLFWFDQEHFDWHJRUL]HGDV r $6LQJOH$FWLRQ&RQWHVW 7ZRRUPRUHFKDU DFWHUVUROOGLFHIRURSSRVLQJFOLFKÅV:LQQHUWDNH DOO QRVHFRQGFKDQFHV)RUUDSLGGHFLVLYHFRQ IOLFWEHWZHHQWZRDFWLYHO\RSSRVHGFKDUDFWHUV r $&RPEDW 7ZRRUPRUHFKDUDFWHUVIDFHRIILQ DVHULHV RIFRQWHVWHGUROOVZHDULQJGRZQRQH DQRWKHUoVUHVROYHERGLHVRURWKHUUHVRXUFHVWR UHSUHVHQWDQH[WHQGHGFRQIOLFWRIVRPHNLQG r $7DUJHW1XPEHU5ROO $VLQJOHFKDUDFWHU IDFHVVRPHNLQGRIFKDOOHQJHEXWQRERG\oV RSSRVLQJKLPGLUHFWO\7KH*0DVVLJQVD7DUJHW 1XPEHU 71
(132) EDVHGRQWKHDSSOLHGFOLFKÅ7KH SOD\HUUROOVWREHDWWKH7DUJHW1XPEHU&RYHUV DQ\VLWXDWLRQWKHWZRPHWKRGVDERYHGRQoW 7KDWoVWKHPRVWEDVLFZD\WRORRNDWWKHXQKRO\ WULQLW\ HDFKUHSUHVHQWVDSDUWLFXODUW\SHRIFKDO OHQJH7ZRFRZER\VIDFLQJHDFKRWKHUDWKLJK QRRQZLOOGUDZWKHLUJXQVDQGILUH WKHIDVWHVWPDQ ZLOOZLQ7KHUHLVQRMRFNH\LQJIRUSRVLWLRQQR. 3DJH.
(133) 0DVWHULQJWKH*DPH5XOHV. .HHS6QDFNV+DQG\WR8VHDV3URMHFWLOHV. ZHDULQJWKHIRHGRZQeVRWKDWoVDVLQJOHDFWLRQ FRQWHVW,IWKH\GLYHIRUFRYHUDQGHQJDJHLQDIXOO EORZQJXQILJKWLQVWHDGWKDWFDOOVIRUFRPEDW,ID ORQHFRZER\LVVKRRWLQJDWERWWOHVRQDIHQFHHDFK VKRWLVDWHVWDJDLQVWD7DUJHW1XPEHU6LPSOH. A CORE CLICHÉ: THE COMMUNICATOR Drawing on my fine command of the English language, I said nothing.. 8QOHVVLWLVQoW2QFH\RXoYHPDVWHUHGWKHWULQLW\ LQEDVLFOLWHUDOWHUPVORRNDWWKHPDJDLQeSHHO LQJDZD\ZKDWWKH\UHSUHVHQWDQGVHHLQJLQVWHDG ZKDWWKH\PHDQLQWHUPVRISDFLQJ DQGJDPHSOD\ . – Robert Benchley The Communicator can navigate the maze of interlocking communities, barely-friendly nations, and complex societies. He fits in. He reads and speaks in several languages, and he knows the tune a well as the lyrics: the quaint native folkways of Distant Nowhereland, the one-mistakecosts-your-head court rituals of the Really Grouchy Shogun. He remembers to bring a gift when he’s invited over.. r $6LQJOH$FWLRQ&RQWHVW $FRQIOLFWWKDWoVRYHU TXLFNO\7KHFKDUDFWHUVLQYROYHGHDFKJHWRQH FKDQFHWRDIIHFWWKHRXWFRPHWKHQWKHJDPH PRYHVRQ r $&RPEDW $FRQIOLFWWREHVDYRUHG7KHFKDUDF WHUVLQYROYHGFDQVZDSFOLFKÅVWRWU\GLIIHUHQW WDFWLFVXVHWHDPZRUNDQGHQMR\WKHHEEDQG IORZRISRWHQWLDOYLFWRU\$FRQIOLFWWKDWFDQ GRPLQDWHDVFHQH. Some campaigns gloss right past languages with a Universal Translator or a Common Tongue that even the mountain goblins can manage (with an accent). Customs, though, remain a constant concern.. r $7DUJHW1XPEHU5ROO 2QO\RQHFKDUDFWHUKDV DQ\FKDQFHWRDIIHFWWKHRXWFRPHDQGWKHUHVR OXWLRQLVLQVWDQWDQHRXV7KHUXOHVSHHNLQPDNH WKHFDOOWKHQGXFNRXWRIVLJKW 7KHWUXWKLVODLGEDUH1RWRQO\GRHVDQ\FRQIOLFW ILWLQRQHRIWKRVHWKUHHERWWOHV DQ\FRQIOLFWILWV LQDQ\ RIWKHPDVWKHIORZRIWKHVFHQHVXJJHVWV /HWoVUHYLVLWWKRVHFRZER\VDWKLJKQRRQ 7KH VORZZDONWRWKHPLGGOHRIWKHVWUHHW FKLQNe FKLQNe
(134) WKHFROGVWDUHVVTXLQWLQJLQWKHKRWVXQ WKHWHQWDWLYHIOH[RIILQJHUVKRYHULQJQHDUWKH KDQGOHVRIHDFKUHYROYHUe7KRVHGHWDLOVDUHXVXDO O\ OHIWWRJRRGUROHSOD\LQJ7UXO\PDVWHUIXO5LVXV JDPHUVPLJKWHYHQWKURZLQDSDQWRPLPHRIVSLW WLQJRXWDGLVWUDFWLQJFKHURRWMXVWEHIRUHWKH %$1* RIWKHGLFHLQFRQWHVW%XWLILWZRXOGVHUYH WKHVFHQHEHWWHUWRDVVXPHWKDWHDFKRIWKRVH WKLQJVLVUHDOO\DYLWDOSDUWRIWKHFRQIOLFWsWKH pSV\FKLQJRXWqVWDJHRIWKHEDWWOHsWKHQLWoVSHU IHFWO\UHDVRQDEOHWRUXQDKLJKQRRQVKRZGRZQ DVDFRPEDWZKHUHRQO\WKHILQDOGLHUROOV DFWXDOO\ UHSUHVHQWWKHILULQJRIJXQV $WWKHRWKHUHQGRIWKHVFDOHZKHUHLWoVDFDVH RIDVNLOOHG3OD\HU&KDUDFWHUIDFLQJGRZQD SDWKHWLFORFDOSRVHUWKH*0FDQH[SUHVVWKH ORSVLGHGQDWXUHRIWKHEDWWOHE\VLPSO\GHFODU LQJD7DUJHW1XPEHU7KDWVD\V pWKLVVFKPXFN. Should you kneel on your right or left knee when addressing his August Magnificence? Is it an insult or an honorable salute to punch his mistress in the face as a greeting? Only the Communicator knows. In fantasy, this kind of knowledge is often the purview of the very scholarly and arcane, because wizards are presumed to be more well-read and well-traveled than basic village folk. In nearly every genre from low medieval to high space opera, wily merchants and one-step-ahead-of-the-law rogues can be counted on for a bit of this, and in space fantasy, it’s traditional to have a robot in the party to handle “etiquette and protocol” and small-talk with binary loadlifters.. LVQoWZRUWKUROOLQJIRUq%HDWWKH7DUJHW1XPEHU DQGKHJRHVGRZQFOHDQDQGHDV\)DLOWREHDW WKH7DUJHW1XPEHUDQGKHJRHVGRZQVFUHDPLQJ DQGPHVV\(LWKHUZD\KHJRHVGRZQ+HoVQRW UHDOO\DFKDOOHQJH 2UDVVXPHRXUKHURLVDVSDFHUDQJHUVWRSSLQJDW DEHYHUDJHGLVSHQVHURQKLVZD\WRKLVGRFNLQJ ED\+HUHJLVWHUVKLVFUHGLWVPDNHVKLVVHOHFWLRQs p'LHW%ORZSRG6TXHH]LQJVSOHDVHqsDQGWKHQe QRWKLQJ1RGULQN7KHVSDFHUDQJHUoVSOD\HUVD\V p,WKXPSWKHPDFKLQHq. 3DJH.
(135) 0DVWHULQJWKH*DPH5XOHV. 0DVWHULQJWKH*DPH5XOHV. 7KHEDOOLVQRZLQ\RXUFRXUWDVWKH*DPH0DVWHU DQGGULQNPDFKLQH$UH\RXPHUHO\DPDOIXQFWLRQ LQJGHYLFHRUDUH\RXDPDOHYROHQWO\ PDOIXQFWLRQ LQJGHYLFH DWZLVWHGGDVWDUGO\GULQNPDFKLQH EHQWRQZHDULQJGRZQWKHVSDFHUDQJHUoVSDWLHQFH DQGFRPSRVXUH"p,WKXPSWKHPDFKLQHqFDQOHDG WRD7DUJHW1XPEHUUROODVLQJOHDFWLRQFRQWHVWRU DFRPEDWDWLWDQLFVKRZGRZQEHWZHHQPDQDQG KLVUHOXFWDQWUHIULJHUDWLQJVHUYDQW,VWKDWVRXQGD JULQGLQJLQWKHFRRODQWFRPSUHVVRU"1ReWKDW VRXQGLVDQHYLOFKXFNOHIURPGHHSLQWKHJXWVRI WKDWZLFNHGPDFKLQHDQGWKDWoVZKHQ5LVXV FRP EDWJHWVJRRG ,IKHZLQVKHoOOJHWKLV%ORZSRG6TXHH]LQJVRK \HV KHZLOO$QGYLFWRU\ZLOOEHVZHHWDQGYLFWRU\ ZLOOEHSOHDVDQWO\UHIUHVKLQJO\FDUERQDWHG r $7DUJHW1XPEHU5ROO $QQR\LQJEHYHUDJHERW r $6LQJOH$FWLRQ&RQWHVW (YLOEHYHUDJHERW r $&RPEDW6FHQH 6WDUNO\VLQLVWHUEHYHUDJHERW IURPWKH)HWLG3LWVRI9RUPR[. ,IWKLVH[DPSOHVWULNHV\RXDVWRRRGG\RX KDYHQoWUHDOO\ UHOD[HGLQWR5LVXV \HW+DYHVRPH VTXHH]LQJV6HHDOVRWKHKDQG\IORZFKDUW EHORZ
(136) SURYLGLQJDJUDSKLFGHPRQVWUDWLRQRI \RXUFKRLFHV2WKHUH[FHOOHQWVFHQHVWRHQMR\DV D5LVXV FRPEDWLQFOXGHJHWWLQJNHWFKXSIURPD QDUURZQHFNHGJODVVERWWOHDQGGHDOLQJZLWKD VPDOOFKLOGVKRXWLQJp0LQH0LQHqDQGJUDEELQJ DWWKH3&oVHTXLSPHQW. And If That Doesn’t Work … <RXPXVWXQOHDUQZKDW\RXKDYHOHDUQHG s<RGD 6ReWKXPSLQJDGULQNPDFKLQHPLJKWEHFRP EDW6KRRWLQJVRPHRQHLQWKHFKHVWPLJKWQRW EH +XK ,IWKHpIXQEDVHGqDSSURDFKLVQoWFOLFNLQJDQG\RX VWLOOIHHOORVWWKHWULFNsLIZHFDQHYHQFDOOLWWKDW sLVKDYLQJDFOHDUTXHVWLRQ DQGDQHTXDOO\FOHDU XQGHUVWDQGLQJRIZKLFKFKDUDFWHUVDUHUHVSRQVLEOH. THE “WHAT THE HECK KIND OF CONFLICT IS THIS?” FLOWCHART. 6WDUWXSKHUH. (QGXSGRZQ WKHUHVRPHSODFH. +PPP. 3DJH .
(137) 0DVWHULQJWKH*DPH5XOHV. 0DVWHULQJWKH*DPH5XOHV. Anyone Can Try Anything $OO,FRXOGWKLQNDERXWZDVLIWKLVZLPSHYHU VDZDPRQVWHUKHoGSUREDEO\WKURZDVKRHDWLW DQGUXQOLNHDZHDVHO7XUQVRXWWKHVKRHSDUW ZDVJLYLQJKLPWRRPXFKFUHGLW s&RUGHOLD&KDVH. IRUWKHDQVZHU%RLODQ\VLWXDWLRQGRZQWRWKDW DQGWKHSDWKZLOOEHFOHDU:LWKRQO\DOLWWOHSUDF WLFHLWEHFRPHVVHFRQGQDWXUH 7RXVHDFRPPRQH[DPSOHFRQVLGHUDORQJUDQJH DPEXVKE\DVQLSHU%HFDXVHDVQLSHULVDJX\ZLWK DULIOHDQGDULIOHLVDZHDSRQZHoUHWUDLQHGDV JDPHUVWRWKLQNRILWDVDpFRPEDWqLVVXH,WFDQ EH EXWLWLVQoWXVXDOO\LQ5LVXV7KHFRPEDWPHFKDQ LFVDUHIRUVLWXDWLRQVZKHUHIRHVMRFNH\IRUSRVLWLRQ DQGZHDUHDFKRWKHUGRZQ6QLSHUVDUHQoWPXFKLQWR WKDW$VQLSHUGRHVQoWZDQWWRILJKW \RX KHMXVW ZDQWVWRGLVUXSWWKHLQWHJULW\RI\RXUVNXOOIURPD VDIHYDQWDJHSRLQW7KDWPHDQVLWoVPRUHOLNHO\WR EHDVLQJOHUROOFRQWHVW KLVFOLFKÅWKDWLPSOLHVVQLS LQJYHUVXV\RXUFOLFKÅWKDWLPSOLHVEHLQJDEOHWR QRWLFHWKHGLVWDQWJODUHRIDULIOHVFRSHLQWLPHWR GXFN
(138) eRUMXVWD7DUJHW1XPEHUUROO PDGHE\ ZKLFKHYHUFKDUDFWHULVWKH3&
(139) . 6LQFHHDFKFOLFKÅLVDQDEVWUDFWLRQRIDKXJHOLVWRI FRPSOH[TXDOLWLHVDQ\RQH FDQDWOHDVWDWWHPSW DQ\ WKLQJGUDZLQJRQVRPHDSSOLFDEOHH[SHULHQFH :KDWWKLVPHDQVLQSUDFWLFHLVWKDW'LIILFXOWLHV DUHQHYHUIL[HG(YHQZKHQWKHUXOHVRUD5LVXV DGYHQWXUHSURYLGHVDGHILQLWH7DUJHW1XPEHU WKDWoVMXVWDEHQFKPDUN 1RWRQO\FDQD7DUJHW 1XPEHUFKDQJHIURPFKDUDFWHUWRFKDUDFWHULWFDQ FKDQJHIURPFOLFKÅWRFOLFKÅDVWKHVDPHFKDUDFWHU WULHVDGLIIHUHQWDSSURDFK 7KLVLVZK\WKH:KHQ6RPHERG\&DQoW 3DUWLFLSDWHUXOH SDJHRI5LVXV
(140) DSSOLHVRQO\LQ RSSRVHGFRQIOLFWVDQGQHYHUUROOVEDVHGRQ7DUJHW 1XPEHUVsDQGLWoVZK\5LVXV KDVDQH[DPSOH DERXWDJX\LQDZKHHOFKDLUVZLQJLQJ7DU]DQOLNH DFURVVDFKDVP 5LQJRI7KLHYHV WKHIUHH5LVXV VROLWDLUHDGYHQ WXUHGHPRQVWUDWHVWKLVHDUO\RQ,QSDUDJUDSK ERWK\RXU/DGLHVo0DQDQG)XQ/RYLQJ0HUFHQDU\. A CORE CLICHÉ: THE DETECTIVE When you’re slapped, you’ll take it and like it. – Sam Spade The Detective hears what others don’t catch, sees what others overlook, finds what others have concealed, and understands how these details play connect-the-dots with the questions facing the party. In a sense, choosing to play the Detective of the party is like volunteering to be the player-side mouthpiece for the Game Master. Clues are, after all, the traffic signals of a game’s pace and flow. What the Detective “unearths” often amounts to encoded instructions from the GM. “This way, you dorks.” The fun of playing the Detective isn’t so much in the detecting as it is in the power of knowledge … When you’re the smartass that knows the tangled social landscape better than the bad guys do, you can lord that over them, crack wise, and generally feel all big in the pants. The Detective of a high-tech world is different, though, from a Detective in the Dark Ancient Renaissance Medieval Age. In modern games, detective work is tied to acumen – intellect and perception. Detectives are trained investigators, canny professors, nosy busybodies with minds like a steel trap, and so on. In games where the hocus pocus is real, it’s usually tied instead to spiritual and natural attunement – to developed intuition. Detectives are those close to the spirits, close to nature, close to the mysteries of the fairy otherworld. In games that combine these elements, we get the mystery cliché of the Psychic Detective, neatly fusing the notions into one.. 3DJH.
(141) 0DVWHULQJWKH*DPH5XOHV. 0DVWHULQJWKH*DPH5XOHV. A CORE CLICHÉ: THE DRIVER It’s got a cop motor, a 440 cubic inch plant; it’s got cop tires, cop suspensions, cop shocks. It’s a model made before catalytic converters so it’ll run good on regular gas. What do you say, is it the new Bluesmobile or what? – Elwood Blues The Driver doesn’t just get you from point A to point B, he does it at high speed, with hairpin turns and tricky maneuvering. He does it better than any chasing him, or better than any he’s decided to chase. He’s the hotshot dogfighter, the stunt-riding cowboy, the hooting hayseed in the General Lee. In most game worlds, it’s a given that any character can drive/ride/et cetera in a basic sort of way. So, this cliché is about driving in that special way that makes the physicists scream and holler and throw a little physicist tantrum. Players who plunk dice into a driving or piloting cliché can generally expect to be remarkable drivers and pilots, not merely “good” ones. The Driver has a place of honor in every adventure genre. When the best car is still a horse, equestrian skill can save a kingdom, prevent a war, or terrorize the footsoldiers just for the style of it. In fantasy worlds where knights mount dragons and gryphons and other odd beasts, these clichés can allow a ride on creatures others dare not approach. In a caper crime story, the driver is a vital member of any crooked gang, and in a modern or futuristic military piece, the master of the dogfight is often the star of the climactic battle scene. And in any genre where people can chase or race each other, the driver – from Ben Hur to Ben Throttle – is a special kind of hero.. FOLFKÅVDUHHTXDOO\XVHIXOIRUILJKWLQJRIIWKH HIIHFWVRIDQDOFKHPLFDOpKDQJRYHUq EHFDXVHERWK FOLFKÅVLPSO\DOLWWOHSDUW\LQJ LQ\RXUSDVW
Related documents
LVs for ORR on a rotating Pt electrode in oxygen saturated 0.1 M NaCl solution without and with the addition of acetonitrile (0.04 and 0.2 M), obtained for various rotation rates
either directly or indirectly through Lead Generation Providers that do not themselves comply with the provisions of law and of the NRMLA Code of Ethics applicable to them.”.
On June 30, 2012, the federal government implemented changes to the IFH program that resulted in the effective elimination of health care coverage for many refugees and
Clip Pole Silver Set (Double Sided) • Heavy plastic coated cast base for added stability. • Pole can extend to a maximum height
The Progress of the Automation Project will be reported to the Test Manager at the weekly Test Status Meeting with a Printed copy of the Current Project Schedule. Measurement
Looking at the developments in 2013, the mobile revenue generated per device remained constant, but shows an interesting turn in early 2014: While all devices are increasing
Fig.6: sand matrix supported conglomerate/pebbly sandstone (Cg-S) facies. Generally, conglomerates fall into two types in terms of internal structures: 1) conglomerate showing
In this work, only the male rats treated16 with estradiol (group E) and methanolic extract (group MEx) for five days on the perinatal stage exhibited disorganization in
